THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Marlborough Express, Volume LXVIII, Issue 148, 25 June 1934, Page 4

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

- n Many people think that New Zealand could do better not with more but with fewer members of Parliament, and some of them will not appreciate the increase in the cost of government that is represented by the present substantial reinforcement of the Legislative Council. They may be right as to the main principle. But if reform is to come the thing must be done in the right way, and not in an indirect and* incomplete manner, by allowing the Second Chamber to fall to pieces. The personnel of the Legislative Council had declined to farcical proportions; and, in the absence of a definite scheme of parliamentary reforms, a considerable addition was necessary to repair a dangerous sagging in the Parliamentary system. The 14 new appointments bring the membership of the Council up to 33 ; but if the Hon. G. J. Smith and the Hon. R. Scott (whose terms expired yesterday) are not reappointed or replaced the total will stand at 31. Round about thirty is a reasonable strength; it is not too small, and it should be sufficient to assure a due standard of revisory efficiency. The arrival of fourteen new legislators is not going to settle any critical issue in the immediate outlook, or set the Dominion on any new or higher course; but, if fair trust may be placed in their qualifications for the responsibility, the accession of strength must, the parliamentary system being what it is to-day, be welcomed as a muchneeded restoratation of the capacity of the Upper House to exercise its valuable funrtion of assuring the quality and effectiveness of our legislation. While it may be difficult to regard one or two of the appointments with enthusiasm, the selections will in the main, no doubt, be generally approved. They do not let down the level of the political ability of the Legislative Council Five of the new i

members have had previous legislative experience. Sir R. H. Rhodes has had a distinguished political career, which includes the positions of Postmaster- General and Minister for Defence, and the leadership of the Council. The Hon. G. J. Anderson has held several portfolios, including Mines and Labour. Mr L. M. Isitt is a veteran parliamentarian ; Mr Fred Waite represented Clutha in Parliament for six years, being defeated by the present member, Mr P McSkimming; and Mr Vincent Ward, a son of Sir Joseph Ward, represented Invercargill for a short period. One feature of the list of selections is its representative character in the political sense, as befits the principles of a Government of practically national status. This is shown particularly by the appointments of two representatives of Labour, in Mr Thomas Bloodworth, the secretary of the Auckland Carpenters' Union, and Mr Thomas O'Byrne, the secretary of the •Southland Sawmills Union. Especially interesting is the "arrival" of Mr Bloodworth, a virile figure for many years in Labour and local-body circles of Auckland ; he may be expected considerably to freshen public interest in the discussictns of the Upper House. No appointment, we should think, will be more popularly approved than that of Mr Archibald Burns, the chairman of the Auckland Education Board. It is fitting that the cause of Education should be given such a competent friend in Parliament, Mr Eliot Davies is a director of New Zealand Breweries, Ltd., and a breeder of Friesians, sheep, and pigs. Mr James McLeod, J.P., of New Plymouth, is a journalist and printer, and is an ex-president of the New Zealand Rugby Union. Mr William Hayward, of Christchurch, brings to the Council a variety of practical experience of affairs, political, municipal, and agricultural and pastoral. Mr H. A. Russell, is a son of the late' Sir William Russell, whose 'stud farm he managed for many years ; he is prominent in public life in Hawke's Bay and well known, in the racing world. Two new members are drawn from the legal profession, these being Mr Jo-hn Alexander, C.M.G., of Auckland, and Mr William Perry, of Wellington. The latter is widely known for his activities in behalf of the R.S.A.; and his. appointment, as also that of Mr Waite, who served in the War with the New Zealand Engineers, will be particularly pleasing to the returned soldiers. * The appointments as a whole recruit the Legislative Council from an extensive range of public interests and thought, and they should produce not a llttle variety of discussion. They have the effect, too, of putting the representation of the various provinces on a fairer -relative basis. Wellington, now has seven councillors, Canterbury and Auckland six each, and Otago five. Before these appointments were made the Auckland province was, numerically speaking, poovly represented. So the Parliamentary system goes on. The inference may be taken that the idea of an elective Second Chamber does not appeal to the present Government.