The Daily News WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1907. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81917, 30 January 1907, Page 2

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1907. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

In making the recent appointments to the Council Sir Joseph Ward neglected an opportunity to rehabiiilatc l;;o Legisnu.vc Couneil in Hie cunlidcace of the mass of people of the colony in ovcr.ooking worm and capacily in the colonists who are in opposition In liie Premier's party lint whose claims for consideration, from a colonial and imparl in I point of view, are higher than Ulusc possessed by tin; 111:1 jorilv if the recent appointees. Men like Mr Milehelson and Sir William liu-soll, fur instance, would have been a decided acquisition to tue Chamber, (if proved integrity and capacity they won d serve their country well, whatever the nature of their political beliefs, I, we are to have a revising chamber, let it lie composed of the Ijesr men Ihe served their country in a public capacity, and men whose iu.lcji-ndenco, ability and probity are beyond nil question of doubt. A Chamber composed of sueii a class of men v.iailil enjoy the public's conlidence to a far greater extent than the pre-, id Council, .■veil strengthened as it has been to an extent by the infusion of the recent new blood.

Tudor present conditions, it is not necessary for a Legislative Councillor to show to .he people of his disl rict any aptitude or ability to help govern the land. All that is necessary in most cases is that the reviser of legislation shall be friendly disposed to the (lov eminent that gives him his position because of this friendliness. Uis a reward not m the gift of the people. It is the people who are responsible, for the idling of the benches in the Lower House, and it is from those benches that the Covoriiincnt is drawn. The Lower House is the lialf-Parlia-meiit of the people, but the Cppcr House is the half Parliament of the Government and a hadf Parliament indeed created against the wishes of a greiu proportion of the people. The member of the Lower Uou.-u lias, before he is admitted to that assembly, to demonstrate to,his constituents the fact that he is likely to hecome a good legislaior and that he knows something of the mailers lie is about to piiingc into. The -Lord" has not necessarily to know aiuthing. No doubt many of the Jd'sL.C. do know a. good deal and are a real iie p in transacting the business of the coiinlry. Ilul it is a fact that any person may be raised from infelloc. tual obscurity' in a. moment from any position in life to become* the political superior of any man who has been chosen by the people. It is an anomalous and iljogicul condition of j things, to be sure.

It is unfortunately true lliat most ol the logislati if 'ill,. Lower House r, in sad need of revision. Jt is true Unit in no country in the world liavi> laws been more badly manufactured and so hacked after manufacture. On almost any siibjoc. it is necessary lo dive into many Acts and amendments and one must not believe he lias got to the end of his task when he linds something verv definite in a New Z"aland Act. There are probably many subsequent amendnients wiiich'in hundreds of eases defeat tile purpose of original Acts. Mby in tile first place ■ lid not the revising chamber make it uiir.ecess.uy |c keep tacking piece? on and Inking pieces oil' statute law; II the Upper House is competent to revise anything why hasn't it don.: soy

A publican or an ironfounder or any other kind, of person is immediately raised as monitor 'to a representative of thiny years'standing. It is asm-eat a set-back to the intelligence of' the members of the Lower House as the veto of the Lords is to the intel.jgence of the Commons. it is a survival, indeed, of the idiotic idea that some people are bom to rule and must be accepted by the democracy willy nillv. The abolition of U, c Cpper House has been mooted times without number, but tlie gcn.lenicn of U,ai Chamhci have only sat back in their cushioned seals and smiled. .Mr Seddonl frequently remarked before lie died teat .he I'pper House would have („ be mended or ended. It has not be mended, and it will obviouslv md be ended.

The .piaiul situation about iiuv proposal ;>(...lition of 111- Council i, rial Ih" Council ilsclf would hay.- t „ ex amine any proposal, of the Lower House to abolish it-c'f. In fad the consult of tile Council woual have to ho given for 111' Council's funeral. On ll,i. account perhaps the abolition of the Council is still a long way off. Sonic hopeful persons have gone so far as to advocate an Elective Upper House. This proposition is hiilcil with derision by members of the ..oninr chamber. It would be unconstitutional and an insult to the "lords." What is .sauce for the geese of the Lower House is emphatically not sauce for .in' ganders of the Upper. Also any Mici:' ..election would have such a wholesome clearing ell'ect on (,ie estimable members of the revising chamber (hat (he lirsl elected Council would be with a lew exceptions an ■cutiiviy new body of men. If the people of New Zealand wore a.ke.l which they would rather havo-a .Premier nominated Upper House or an t'ppcr House elected by themselves, Ihcy would. we think, nnhe.italingiy plump for Ice ])o])uliir system. If fiiev were a.ke.l whether (liev would have a popular l'l I' I'""-' <>'• no I'pper I sc at all. they would cheerfully wipe the "lords" out.