THE UPPER HOUSE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1918, Page 5

THE UPPER HOUSE

NOMINATIVE OR ELECTIVE? WOMEN MADE ELIGIBLE FOB PABtLIAMESfT.' By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. • _ Ihe second reading o£ the Li&isiative Council Bill was moved ]>y Air. Aiassey. The Premier said members must not think the Government intended to kill the Legislative Council Act of 1804, which reformed the second chamber. He maintained tho reform of the second chamber was necessary. He was still of opinion that members of tho Council should be elected by the people of the country. The Government had strengthened the Upper House recently, though it was not up to its full strength yet. He was hound to say that half the num. her of tlie House of Representatives was, in b's opinion, its proper strength. He called attention to the varying terms of appointment, to the Council." 'There was one life member, some were appointed for seven years, and some for a ehorter terra, Mr. Witty suggested that members who served year after year in tho House of Representatives should have preference in appointments. He was opposed to an elective Council unless tha two House? had the same powers. The second chamber should be a revising chamber, and should be stocked by politicians. Mr. McCotnbs denounced the Bill as an attempt to' supplant the elective system by the old nominative system. He indi-' cated that he would in Committee move an amendment making women eligible for membership of the Council. Sir J. Findlay advised the Government to study Lord Bryee's book on the constitution oS Commonwealths, and particularly that part dealing with South Africa, where he would find dual membership of the Eecond chamber advocated, that was a chamber partly elected and partly nominated- He instanced that when the present Chief Justice retired he would be a most suitable gentleman to make a member of the revisiiig chamber. A limitcc l right of appointment would enable that to be done.

Mr. Payne approved the principle of w.:>mon being members of the Council. Tho second reading was then passed, and the House went into Committee on the Bill. ' Mr. McCombs strongly objected to the confirmation, of the seven-year term of appointment, and mowd an amendment making 1324 the last session in which nominated members could sit in the Council. ' The amendment was lost By 44 to 15, Mr. McCombs' amendment, malting women eligible for 1 a seat in Parliament was cartied by 31 to 11Following is the division on Mr. McCombs's amendment providing for the admission of Women to/Parliament: For (31): Anderson,' Apatey, Brown, Buddo, Craigie, Dickson (Chalmers), Ell, Field (Nelson), Eraser (Wellington Central), Henare, Hovnsby, Luke, McCallum, McCombs, Newman (Wellington East), Ngata, Parr, Payne, Poole, Reed, Sidey, Smith (Taranaki), Stewart, Sykes, Talbot, Thomson, Veitch, Walker, Wilford, Wilkinson, Wright. Against (27): Allen, Bollard, Carroll, Colvin, Dickson jParnell), Forbes, Fraser (Wakatipu), Guthrie, Harris, Herries, Hudson, Jennings, Lee, Macdonald, Massey, Myers, Newman (Rangitlkei), Nosworthy, Pearce, Pomare, Rhodes (Thames), Russell, Scott, Statham, Uru, Ward, Young. Mr. Massey raised a point of ordor that the amendment was foreign to the Bill. The Speaker ruled the amendment in order. The Bill was,then read a third time and passed. LOCAL BILLS. Ihe following local Bills were passed in all their stages: Tauranga Borough Council and Tauranga Harbor Board Empowering Bill (Hon. Herries), Invercargill Borough Council Special Rate Empowering Bill (Hon. Hanan), Napier Harbor Board Loans Enabling Bill (Hon. Sir J. G. Findlay), Urawa County (Hon Macdonald), New Plymouth Harbor Board Empowering (Smith), Auckland Institute and Museum Site Empowering (Parr). The House rose at 11 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. 'to-morrow.