WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1933, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

ELECTORAL REFORM GOVERNMENT’S HESITATION

(Special CoiTe^pondent.)

WELLINGTON, November 23

On one or two Occasions lately members of the'Coalition Government havehinted at a- review of the Constitution of the Legislative Council, which seems at tbe moment to'be hastening to inevitable decay.’The “Dominion'. ’ which appears more alert towards, such matters 3 then do the majority of its. metropolitan contemporaries, dees .not belittle the gravity of the situation.' “It is due to the public” it dajis, “tll'at the' Government should take an ' early opportunity of announcing..its intentions', concerning'the position.' A strong case' lias been made, out. for. reform, and there is' evidence’ 't'lriif, public opinion is, 'in favour of it.” The. essential weakness of a Chamber, the members;. of Which are appointed from time to time by the Government of the day, it is held, is the tendency to follow the wishes of the/Government.

Nor does the morning paper close its protest here. The very fact that there is no fixed numerical standard, that new 'members are only appointed if, and' when it suits the Government of the day to do so, “this authority adds, “is enough to condemn the present system. u In these days of rush legislation, it seems, the public interest demands that there shall be/careful and competant revision. Further, the 'Upper House, as experience in New South "Wales Las shown, should be capable,’ if needs be, of safeguarding the State ‘from depredatory measures initiated bj r " tyrannical majorities in the Lower House; Of course the “Dominion” sees both the advantages' and the disadvantages of an Upper House, but it does ..not regard either of them as impregnable in those progressive days.

Not so-many years ago the Right Hon G.--W.- Forbes and the Hon Robert Masters were advocating the extinction of th e Legislative Council and its occupants, and even to-day they appear to reduce the number of members of the Council to a mere handful of veterans cared for by half a dozen companions, of shorter years.; , Whether the purpose of the Prime . Minister and his colleagues is to magnify the Council ultimately or to extinguish it remains a matter of speculation outside the Cabinet and the “Dominion” very properly has demanded information. Possibly Mr Forbes, who has committed himself to the close*pf the session before the end of the year, has some solace in hand, but it is a general opinion that lie will he fortunate if he does not require to call Parliament together early in the new vear.