PROPOSED RECONSTITUTION OF THE COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 382, 6 July 1889, Page 8

PROPOSED RECONSTITUTION OF THE COUNCIL.

The proposals of the Government with reference to thereoonstitutionof the Legislative Council may briefly be stated to bo as follows :— Present Councillors aie_ to remain member?, but the power of appointment by the Governor is to cease, and members are henceforth to be elected ns now provided. When the numerical strength of the Council shall fall to loss than that of the Lower House there is to be a vacancy to be filled up. The Speaker of the Cou-**-U is to gazette the vacancy, and notice i* be sent to every member of both House?. If the \ar*aney o^-cmi" in Ihe r Q r-e ao tno election is to take place on the 2nd Tuesday after Parliament meet*, and if it occurs during n session thp elertion is to be on the 2nd Tuesday *ftrr its grazettincr. Thp Clerk of Parliament :<? to be r'-tnrnins: officer. Three member* of the General Assembly may nominate a candidate to the cleik, who ?s to post nn piinted notices of the nairiPß a'>out the Parliamentary Buildings, and it ih to be placed on the order paper? of both Houses. The election is to be by ballot in a room in the Parlinmpnt Buildings. Every member will be entitled to vote. The polling i° to take place between noon and 2 p.m. Thp Clerk is then to open the papers and thp ciincliditte having the votep of a majority of all the members of both Houses in to be declared elected. If no candidate obtains auelmn absolute majority, a second noil i« to be t'ken a week' after, and a third, if necrs- arv, another wpek later, but if then theje is no election the Governor U to appoint a member within three months Tf there should be more than one vacancy the elections may gro on s?multaneo"s?v but separately. Eloctionß may he appealed against, fir>-t to the Supreme Court and then to thp Privy Council. The Council is to choose its own Speaker from amonp it" members. Any member may r^fusm his seat, and each member will be elected for 7 yearn. A new and vpry imnortnnt pro posal, which will bp made by thp Government, is that henceforward any Bill passed bv one House but. one 1 rejected by the «ther. at an interval of 6 mnnthc, i<> fon 4he demand of that House which baa •qwsped the Bill), to lie pnbmitted to « inint pitting of both Hoii«es (the Sppaker of the Council prpsidinsr) When itmavbp amended tlieam%Y»dtflfentß be ntrreed to by «acli Houpr we^iafAlplv) anr? then, if mi 'iabpolute tnajorrty n^the two Housosßittinc: -4<i(iether pass tli" Bi'l, it ia to go nn for *he Hoyal aspent. This \p not to apply to the Appropriation Bill, which i^ only to rontstin thp reernlsir appropriation clause I*.1 *. The Council may tequire anvthinsr cnrflV'tina" with thip PioviMon toh e dealt with bv n separate Bill. Tf the House refuse to comply the queption i« to be decided by the two Houses fritting together. The Governor, unon the recommendation in writing: bv the Piemier, may appoint, a person to be a member of the Council who U> to be made a member of the Executive. Tmfc *uch appointment i^ to last no longer than the membernhip of the Executive.