The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1905. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7855, 22 June 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1905. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

In his recent speech at Carterton the | Premier, made a passing reference to | the question of reforming the Legislative Council- While refraining to outline any views on the question, he intimated thai ho w o uld strenuously opposo any proposal having for Its object the election of the Council by the people. In the light of Mr Seddon's subsequent statement tftat no fresh appointments will bo mads to Uio Council until tho question of the reform of that body is decided one may or another., ib is evident that at last some attempt is to bo made bo solve this complicated problem. If is iiuirdly. reasonable to suppose that a question relating to such an important matter as the Constitution granted to the colony by an Act of Imperial Legislature in 1852 should be dealt with in the last session of tho present Parliament, and it may therefore be assumed that it will be one of those issues on which the people will be asked to express their opinion when choosing their representatives at the next election. It is one thing to condemn an existing institution, but quite a different mal-l tor to provide ainl efficient substitute. That the Upper House as at present constituted stand*? condemned is generally admitted, and it is the force of public opinion on this point that is giving prominence to the <qiuesUon of rcffartii; but when, it comes to fixing the moilus operandi then "doctors' disagree." There are soma who contend that aft Upper Chamber is unnecessary, and therefore should not exist. That is a view which need not be seriously discussed, as the necessity for a second Chamber depends very materially on the constitution of tjie Elective Chamber, ali/3 it would be a Tosh person who felt such unbounded confidence in the ability and wisUom of the members of the House off Representatives to pass measures which would stand the test of daily use without tbe need of being interpreted by the Courts of law. It is generally recognised that the second Chamber is, at least theoretically, a revising body, and its chief utility lays in that direction. In order., therefore,, to ensure careful legislation whicb. will reduce litigatilon to a minimum it .would seem desirable that thp members of the Upper House should be men of exceptional ability and aeumen, possessing qualifications fitting, them for the important work that jdiould fall to their lot. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Promicr should express) himself as strongly against making the Legislative Council an elective body. The seasons are obvious to anyone who looks at the matter in tho right light. Apart from the thief argument that such a course would make the Council a mere reflex of the House of Bcpresentntives, and that those best qualified would probably decline to come forward as candidates', there is the additional adverse reason that the result would most probably lead not only to rivalry, but also to opposition, o»d th'en would ensue thjat undesirable friction which is a bar to legislative progress. In fact it would be a Ciisc of jumping out of the frying pan into the lire. Sir Joseph Ward is in favour of the Legislative Council being chosen by ballbt by tlvs memfiers- of the Lower House. Tie chief merit in this plan (if any merit there be) must be assigned to its simplicity, but it is open to several obU'tctions; not ■the least of which is that the party in the majority for the time being w o uld naturally vote for men of the right colour, and thp (jjnpgs 0 f tho lllon fol . their exalted duties would be subordinate to their political Convictions. This method would hurjly improve, the present constitution of the Co-incil. no matter what care was J taken ivith regard to placing on the ! list of candidates the names of the best men available. Moreover,, it would he a dangerous precedent from which mjght evolve a claim for the flupolntmsnfc of judges and other officials by the House, fl would spent that llw first question fo deride in connection with the reform of the legislative Council is not how the members shall bo elected', but r'athor what special functions are to devolve oh this august body wi'ipn elected. If these duties are to be of a merely nominal or perfunctory character Ifceii the Council may Safety be elect-

ud in'any way that will satisfy tha ' pleasure citthler of the people, the 1 House, or the Executive. On tbe ' dither hand, if the Council is to lie . made useful as a revising Chamber, t then the greatest case will have to, be exercised in the appointment of i the members. Under tha Constitu- ' turn Act the members of the Legisla- ' tive Council are appointed by the Uuvci nor, so that before a proposal ' for nn Elective Council could be el- ■ fecth e an amendment ot the Act ' wouli. secjn to be necessary. Probably ihjro would not be any insupor- j able difficulties to overcome if it were necessary to amend the Act, i though it wore better to leave it alonv and solve the delicate question in another way. The minimum number of ttu> Council is fixed at ten, no [limit being, named for a maximum. An intelligent way of reforming the Gouneil would be to fix the number at (Siiy) thirteen, and Convert it fnto a revising Chamber, the members of which will be experts, both legal anid commercial. At present there ai'e some 44 members, each receiving £2i;o a year for t ipir services, which represents, with travelling expenses, a yearly total of £9OOO. If tho number were reduced to thirteen duly qualified men, and the honorarium raisal to £SOO, with an additional £SOO to the Chairman, tfic total cost would be only £7OOO, and the colony would benefit in many ways. The question arises as to what is to be done with regard to the life members of the Council. If they insist on

compensation of course their claim could not justly be disputed, only it I must bo remembered that if the bicameral system is abolished by Act of Parliament tho members of the Council would cease to exist as such. There is nothing; more difficult to face lhari the questiwn of compensation, and thero are many who eonsider that, if paid, it would be money well spent. The Premier favours s|ome such schenio as this, and if any real and effective reform is to take placo we feel confident that it can only lie based on similar lines to those we have indicated.. Possibly, as the subject becomes more generally discussed other views will commend themselves to tho thoughtful and piaCjtical people of the colony. In the meantime the Premier hasi exercised a wise discretion in abstaining from making any fresh appointments to the Legislative Council.