OUR HOUSE OF L0RD5. The Latest Infusion of Blue Blood.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 209, 2 July 1904, Page 6

OUR HOUSE OF LORDS. The Latest Infusion of Blue Blood.

EVEN when King Dick's stockwhip cracks its loudest and forked lightning flashes from his eyes, you needn't stand m terror of your life. The storm will soon pass, and you will find he has ' had the most amiable intentions all the time. It appears to have been so in the case of the Legislative Council. Three or four months ago Richard was ready to smash things in. the Upper House. It was an ugly excrescence upon the body politic, and he was going to wipe it out and put something better m its place * ♦ * What he has done is to call to the Legislative Council the most distinguished Parliamentarian m the colonies, and the most eminent exSpeaker in the British dominions We refer, of course, to the Hon. Sir George Maurice O'Rorke Ever since 1862, he has been identified with the Parliamentary history of New Zealand, and from 1879 till 1903, with one brief interval of three years, he presided over the House of Representatives, conducting its dehberataons with rare dignity and raising its tone and reputation far above that of all other colonial senates The appointment of such a man reflects lustre upon the Legislative Council, and the infusion of that kind of blood must tend both to its longevity as a Chamber and to its elevation in. the eyes of the people at large.

Mo9t people will accept his appointment as an outward and visible sign that King Dick has relented, and means to try if he cannot mend before trying to end the Council. It is the only means of preserving a while longer the played-out system of nomineeism The pity is that the experiment has been deferred till so late m the day. An ideal Upper House would be one composed of our most illustrious citizens. Statesmen of high repute, who have retired from the stress and turmoil of party politics. Men who have rendered the State pre-eminent service Colonists whose desert stands high, and whom the people delight to honour Sages whose deeds and writings have won more than ephemeral fame. In short, the veiy best men we have, who have borne the heat and burthen of the day, and m the sunset of life axe still prepared to give then country the benefit of their ripe experience, well-balanced judgment, and their deep knowledge of men and things • • • We hail the advent of Sir Maurice to the Council as the opening of a better system That better system will develop gradually into the best system, which will be election The enemies of change, of course, will conjure up all the familiar old-fash-ioned bogeys A deadlock between the two Houses naturally will stand m the forefront But the truest friends of the Upper House will welcome any change that makes for reform and brings that Chamber into closer touch with the popular will It is too much to expect our Lords to do what some of the Japs have been suggesting to Admiral Kamimura perform the happy despatch on themselves Human nature revolts from self-slaughter, and a Legislative Councillor is very human Still, they may stave off the evil day of extinction by adopting the good old shibboleth of "Trust the People."