Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1920. THE UPPER HOUSE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2078, 15 January 1920, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1920. THE UPPER HOUSE.

THE Attorney-General,.Sir Francis Bell, interviewed -by a Times representative, stated that the next Gazette will contain a proclamation bringing into force the Legislative Council Act of 1914. It was provided in the Act that it: should not come into operation until January Ist, 1916, the object of Ibis provision being to allow the general election of 191-1 and the session of 1915 to'take place first, thus affording the then Opposition an opportunity of repealing the Act if they were successful at the general election of 1914. During the session of ,1915 the National Government was formed, and one of the stipulations for, the coalition made by the Liberals was that-the Legislative Council Act should not be brought into force during the existence of the National Cabinet. In that year an Act was passed further postponing the date for the ■ commencement of the reform; and finally, by the Legislative Council Act Amendment Act, 1918, it was provided that the Act shoukK come into force* from a date to he appointed by proclamation, such date to be at least one year after the publication of the proclamation in the Gazette. The object of this provision was, again, as in 1914, to allow a general election and a session of Parliament to intervene before the actual coining into operation of the Act. Recently the Gov-ernor-General has by proclamation appointed the 31st day of January, 1921, as the date for the commencement of the Act, and this pi’oelamaiiou will appear in the first Gazette to he issued in January, 1920. The Legislative Council Act, added Sir Francis Bell, will therefore come into force on January Ist, 1021, and the first election of members of the Legislative Council will take place at the general election in 1922. The election will be held on the propprti-

onal • representation system, in four •large ■ constituencies covering the' whole of New Zealand. Tlic first election will bo of 20 members pnly, one-half of the House. The present constitution of the Legislative Council continues in force until the coming ..into operation of the now Act, and therefore appointment for 'the term of seven years can be; made to the Council until .January 3M, 1921, after 1 which date no appoint* mentis can be made.