EXIT OF UPPER HOUSE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1922, Page 3

EXIT OF UPPER HOUSE.

QUEENSLAND’S EXPERIMENT. Sydney, March 29. The few in Queensland who cherished the hope that the Imperial authorities would save the Legislative Council, if even it were only at the eleventh hour, have been disappointed. Royal assent to the Bill for the abolition of the Council has been received, and in the words of the Queensland Premier. Mr. Theodore, it is now as dead as Julius Ceasar.

Henceforth the Queensland Legislature consists of one chamber, and Queensland is the first of the States to make the experiment. The working of the system will be interesting. It will not be all beer and skittles for a Government with a majority of one, for a ir'arv.re or proposition carried against it will be beyond control. There will be no second chamber to delay or revise. Defeat, if it comes, will be quick and complete, and an astutely managed Opposition ought to be able to contrive a coup .some day.

It is not unlikely that the Government, with American dollars in its hands, and lavish promises in its mouth, will rush an early end sudden appeal to the country, and make a bold effort to secure a working majority. Then, if it obtains a majority, the moderates will have their eyes opened. They will see what a Labor Government with the command of one House can do, how socialistic or communistic propositions will be passed, how merrily the planks of the party will be fixed into place in 1 the communistic structure.

Tn the meanwhile it is interesting to note that while the Sate has lost the Legislative Council, it has not been relieved of the Legislative Councillors. These latter retain their free railway passes for life, and continue to have access to the Parliamentary buildings, with full enjoyment of all their former privileges, except those of legislators. Thus they become permanent pensioners of the country.