THE Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1879. THE UPPER HOUSE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 37, 3 January 1879, Page 2

THE Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1879. THE UPPER HOUSE.

Sir George Grey is an acknowledged master of oratory. His speeehos are always of a polished character, and his hearers are entranced with his rich diction. He discusses always, not only what is but what should be, and does not permit expediency to shut out from view those ideals in constitutions and government, which hope in the future improvement of our institutions is calculated to inspive. Hence it will be found that in his speeches we have a consider* able amountof theory and philosophic reasoning. We know theory is re% garded by toa.e as being out of place in a statesman, who is expected by such persons to be a matter-of-fact individual with an appetice for figures and a red tape disposition. °But considering the problems which engage the attention of those who preside over our governmental institutions, we hold that a philosophic in* sight into tho great principles upon which government should rest, is absolutely necessary. The difficulty we find in tho Premier's speeches is, that after having discussed the theoretical aspect of a question, and led the mind up to a certain point, he appears to fihrink from stating ihe logical sequence of his well reasoned argument; or perhaps it would be plainer to say, that having clearly pointed out the disease, he refrains from stating the remedy. Probably 'this is because the prescription would in many cases be too severe. Wo have looked forward for some time for Sir George's address to his

constituents, hoping to have a clear exposition of his views upon the Upper House, and we therefore confess to a feeling nkin to disappointnient, at* finding what he considers its defects clearly pointed out, but no word whatever of what he proposes in its place. Sir George is particularly severe upon the Upper House buing a " paid " body, the members receiving tne same honorarium of £200 as the M.H.R's. He therefore says that to nominate a member is to grant him "a pension for life." Upon this point, we think the Colony will agree with Sir George, who assorted " there is no nominated Upper Huus'j in i ha Colonies that is paid except in New Zealand.' 1 The Upper House is generally supposed to represent the wealth of the Colony, and it strikes one as undignified that that body should consent to be placed upon the same pecuniary level as the Representatives of " the people." Sir George also spoke with cutting sarcasm upon the manner iv which members have oscillated between the two Houses. He said :~ "Thiß extraordinary thing also takes, place in tfie Upper House of Slew Zealand; In the Parliament, at Home if you make a man a peer he really c.nnot sit in the House of Commons, and he cunnot interf ero in any election of a member of the House of Commons, mid he is liable to be punished it he does.^ Here, a person is taken and put into the Upper House, because ho loses his seat in tho Lower House. At Home if you make a man a peer, he must always be a peer j but here il a member has a chance of {jetting in for another constituency he can resign his peerage, aud go back to the Lower House, and lie does th.it, I may say shamelessly. I would bo ashamed myself to do it, but they think it is tho custom and they do it, aud if he loses his seat he goes back to the Upper House again. (Laughter aud cheers.) Thus the dourimint pail y in the country get some s\) or GO members into the Upper iiuuse. There are some 50 members there now. I forget the precise nuiubei to each of whom Lpaid 200 guineas a year. If we wished to get the majority, w« would have to put some oo members iuto the Upper House, with 200 guiuous a year for life. (Laughter.) You can ace that one has really no power t«> do that unless it were done out of mischi f to destroy tho whole thing. It is difficult lor any Miuistry to proceed to make progress in the present stateof affairs." What remedy does he then propose ? IN one whatever, Having drawn this picture, he eloquently shunts olf ou to another line of thought regarding nominated Governors. Wo heartily wish Sir uoorge had boidly declared his precise views of what the future constitution of the Upper House should be. We believe the Colouy is not enamored oi its present Council, but hitherto it hi»s muuintained a high character for the dignity of its action, and has proved a judicious "brake" upon the high-pressuro speed of tho Lower House. ;\ Ny schema for an altera iuu of it should receive ample consideration at the bauds of the Colony, and not be rushed iuto Parliament when fighting is going on. There no doubt are some bad points about it as at present constituted. It would be easy to conceive of a Ministry carrying out thy idea S r George hiuts, and " stamping" the Cuuncil. Bus a great many would rather " bear those ills we have, than ily to others that we know not of,'*' especially cou sidering the bitter confl.cts, accoai* pauied by national disaster, which have occured iv the neighbouring Colony of Vioioria between the two Houses. If Sir George intonds to tight the quostion bol'ilv out of an elective Upper House versus a nominatod one, he will fiud a great number of tho people with him, provided the uew Constitution is so fenced round as give not only full liberty to the people, but also to preserve our representative institutions and tho Colony generally from the ignominy which has resulted in Victoria.