THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81863, 12 October 1906, Page 3

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —It is somewhat s a({ to find hew short is the memory of the pub* lie. You i -cenily discoursed with Your u-Aial vijfor resp.'cting 'in: Legislative Council and wrote somewhat disparagingly ot that body. I have been making enquiries so as to refresh mv memory, and 1 have also read with interest the debate in Mansard of this Session on the subject ot the Legislative Council Election Bill. 1 fmd that of the 34 Members who now constitute the Council no than 0 have been Ministers of the i Crown and 20 have been Members ■ of the House of Representatives. 11l the Council are some of the ablest and most trusted men in the Colony, ■ no'ablv C.C. 13"wen, George McLean, ■ \V. Montgomery, J. D. Ormond, F C J St'-'v» n>. ant! (i.M 0 Roikt\ ail of whom- (and others) have sat in ihe Lower House for years and have been Ministers of the Crown. Of the thirteen Members who have neither been Ministers nor M. 11. K s no less than 10 have been appointed bv the Seddon Ministry. I venire to think that few who knowboth branches of the Legislature will di-pute the fact that the average Councillor is far superior to the average M. H. R. in all that should go to make a Legislator. If only Ministers were to select men for the Council on no other ground than th'J'r fitness for the office, there could be no better mode of appointment than the present one, and the Council would be a bulwark of strength in our Demiocracv, "Comparisons ate odious'', but surely no one will assert that the Colony's best men are its elected representatives. If not oceupving too much space I would ask you to permit me to quote as under from Hansard of this Session. The Hon. Sir \V. J. Steward: It is impossible to end the Council, for tho reasons, first, that the Constitution Act absolutely requires two Houses, and wo cannot revert to a uni-cameral system without legislation being parsed in that behalf through the Imperial Parliament. But Ido not consider that such a change is desirable. lam of opinion that another House, properly constituted, is capable of doing exceedingly great service to this Col ony in connection with its legislation. Hon. Sir J. G. Ward: According to my judgment, it has become thJ fashion for some people to urge that the Upper House be abolished, and in very few cases have they been able to put their finger on anything done by that body winch justifies in my opinion such an _ important change in the constitution of the countrv. Looking back over the period "of years during tvhich I have been a Member of this House, I must sav thai, although at times it has aggravated one's feelings to find that reforms passed by the Representatives of the people were temporari 1 }' checke', yet after a year or two or even sooner the second Chamber, having in its wisdom and exeicising its undoubted rights said that the people should be consulted, have given wav when the will of the people was manifested; and when in 'their undoubted right they followed this course a spirit of antagonism has been engendered tow ards the second Chamber. Still, as I say, if you loolc back you will find that nothing of a beneficial character that has passed through this branch of the Legisla- ( ture has been stopped beyond a reas- , onable time by the Members of the Legislative Council when it was cleariv seen that it was urgently desired, and that the peoples representatives were all but unanimous to -e? tho change effected. I affirm that some check upon legislation is essential. There should be a check 0,1 legislation which sometimes hurriedly is passed through this House, and that is the only check the people •if the country have—the right to review through the medium of the j Legislative Council, sitting as a branch of the Legislature, and for the time being expressing their opinions; and, uncter the bi-cameral system ; which has been in operaticn in tli's country so long, they are undoubtedly \vi l liin ilieir rights. \ou have, it as a matter of history how ill Vie['ilia iheie have been dead-locks on more tnaii one occasion as iii«- result • »f the elective -ysteni for the second Chamber over large constituencies. Now 1 come to the question that has been asked, Whv this continuous age ( taiion regarding the abolition of the { second Chamber or an alteration in the constitution of the Legislative Council? What [ say is this: U the Government of the country select good men—and good men have been selected ill the past—if they appoint men in whom the people have conil dence, the present system will work well. In most respects tho system lias worked well in the past. I say that if good appointments are made to the Legislative Council pub'ic opinion will go ill the direction of saying that we should not give up what has proved in the past, upon we whole, a good svstem until we have submitted to us a better system. If you look at it impartially you will hncl that the branch of the which has been attacked veiy viru lently from sections on both sides ot the House for years past, has been, if anvthing, in advance of the Libeial side of Parliament, and in advance of Parliament as a whole in seeking to give effect to the desires of the people in the way of progressive legislation Mi Ell—That is admitted.) lion Sir J. G. Ward: Then, if you have 10 admit that, the strongest reaf son for a change is cut from under vour feet. Uis practically acknowledging that we have a system in operation which upon the whole has been a success The greatest agitator for a change has been the lh>n. her for Christchurch South (Mr Kll), and to-night he admits that the I pper House has been in advance of the Lower House, so far as legislation is concerned. The House must recognise that this is correct. And the only conclusion wc can come to and it has not been said by either «>■ tir' Hon. gentlemen who have spoken is that the House or 'he people aie dissatisfied with the selection made bv the Government ol the day of members f-.r appoininidit to the Legislative Council. ( An lion. Member; Theie 'is no doubt about thai.) lion. Sir ]• G. Ward: 1 want fuither to ?av that though there may b< difference's of opinion as to th • capacity or qualifications i f some f the Members who have b'-en nominated to the second branch of the Legislature, that is not sufficient justification for making tlrs propo-cd rovulrtiopary change in the constitution •f 'his 'eouutiy. ttn'e-s there »«-• other stmng rea-ons 1..r M. 1, ><" al'l l t ill the opinion 1 expiesscd ti s.tott

tin"' a«o. K'""' appointincntt<' made to the .-■■<■<>n<l bram hof the i.en-islaiuie, if publ.e f'l inion is behind Hi" Adniin'stii'.ti'-n "t the day in their selection of ni'-'n In ''any nil this important bianrh of work dcvoly'lV upon the public men of ill" 1 (.oloiiy. evcrv <"1111(1 rcasonci must be , M ;,ir.-t tV opinions . f these who are uri'inr- this c-haiiK'' upon wh ' il 1 m ' iy without wHi'.hk to be in any way c;rl flimsy grounds and ground* n»t si' all b i-'-l "lion experiehec of the work'niv of this bianch ~f <||<. l.c K is|»iuiv over a lon# peiiod ff

Mr Musm',-: "Then 1 want I" say i|,; s : t !>;ii, in eontt'el ion ui l !i 'lie ~|.poin.iiicnts to be made in tin 1 ne.u Inline, 1 hop- the Government will Se[r('| men whose ap|minl lIU'llI W"llUl i 1 m['! 1 *v' 'he jm-si 1 i .11 e! tie* Legislation Cotim il ; Ilia.' they wiil' select men o! ;ilnli'y. o! I,testily. nnd men in whom 1 lie public hive confidence. As lo the principle upon which the appointment* should b" made it -honld be differ" nl to tha" up'ui which they have been made duiini: tin- pa'-t few years. The pub'ic of this country <io lV't want lo -it men appointed i.i thai Chamber Ir.raire of their political influence or because Ihey have b"'n useful 10 the ( ioy Turnout dutiilK 'i'ctioll lillie. We waul to do a nay entirely with that sort of thi-i.tr.

Mr Fisher: We want to regard them (iifin appeorecl ("ottnei'ln; s) fti.ni Hie point of view 'if fitness, capacity and public experience. When we linemen who are froinjf 'o he, the final critics and the final analysers of ee-asures which pass through this Hi-use. they musi be men of experience."—l am. etc,. WAITENA-GF.MOT.