THE UPPER HOUSE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3727, 8 December 1927, Page 3

THE UPPER HOUSE.

ITS RIGHT TO- EXIST,

CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION.

r A reply to the suggestion made by Labour members in the House of Representatives that the Legislative Council should be abolished, was made by the Right. Hon. Sir Francis Bell on Monday in the Legislative Council, in the course of a speech in defence of the rights and privileges of the Upper Chamber. “It has been suggested,” said Sir Francis, “that it is in the power of this Legislature, with or without the concurrence of the Council, to constitute a. unicameral legislature. If that is to be done it can be effected only by an Act of the Imperial Parliament, and I think-it desirable that I should in a few words make reference to the Constitution Act on that point.” He pointed out that section 32 of the Act provided that thery should be in the colony of New Zealand a General Assembly consisting of a Governor, a Legislative Council, and a House of Representatives. By the Constitution Act of 1857, it was provided that it should be lawful for the General Assembly by any Act from time to time to alter, suspend, or repeal all or any of the provisions ot the Act, except such as were thereinafter specified, and one of the sections specified was section 32. “It is beyond question, therefore,” he said, “that as a matter of law as well as a constitutional principle it is not within the pow.er of the two Houses of this Parliament to abolish either of the two Houses which by section 32 are declared to be part of the General Assembly. I trust the Council will pardon me for placing on record a legislative fact which is known to us, but perhaps is not so well known outside our walls.” The Hon. M. Cohen expressed the opinion that whatever threats made against .the Council would" pass harmlessly by.