The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1833. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1151, 22 September 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1833. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Evening Post was once the most democratic paper in New Zealand. It was on this it thrived, and got its name up ; it was this made it one of the best commercial speculations in the Colony. Recently, however, the Post has sobered down, and become a thoroughgoing conservative. Of course this is quite natural. Most people, when young and indigent, and trying to lift themselves to a position of competence, generally favor everything democratic, but when they reach the stage of affluence, they forget their former prtdelictions, and take up the cry of ' our own set.' The Evening Post has evidently been guided by this principle. Its proprietors are now rich and its editor is a churchwarden, and a member of the Church Synod and everything else that is good and holy, and of course it would be at variance with their position in life to pander to the taste of the multitude. The Post, of course, supports the Government now. Fred. Whitaker was once a political blackleg in its eyes. The Honorable Frederick Whitaker, Premier of New Zealand, is now an incorruptible politician and the ablest man in New Zealand. Sir George Grey was once its idol, but he is now, as Boyle Boche used to say, ' the opposite of the reverse." But the latest bit of conservatism of which the Post has been guilty is its defence of the present constitution of the Legislative Council. The Post is generally conducted with much ability, but in this matter it talks absolutely nonsense. It starts by pointing out the absurdity of calling the Legislative Council a nominated body, and argues that as Councillors are selected by the Government, and the Government are selected by themaiority of the members who represent the majority of the electors, the Legislative Council cannot therefore be called a nominated body. To be called a nominated body it would be necessary that appointments should be solely and entirely in the hands of the Governor. Still the Post does not brazen it out to the extent of telling us that it is an elective body, although'it trios to convey the impression that it represents the majority of the people, and thus it leaves us in an embarrassing position trying to make out what the deuce it is. All this appears to us utter rubbish. The Legislative Council is nominated by the Governor at the recommendation of his responsible advisers, and very poor judgment has been exercised in many cases when making the appointments. Some of the most useless men in the colony have been put there because they happened to have friends at the helm, who wished to put something in their way. The Legislative Council has often been called ' an asylum for superannuated good-for-nothings,' and its members have been called'genteel pensioners,'and we must say that these names are not far wrong. There is an old fossil from Auckland in the Council that could not possibly sit in any company without being its ' butt.' He is the most ridiculous old fogey it would be possible to imagine. Everyone remembers the history of Johnny Martin, and knows the eccentricities of Mr Pharazyu, and there are a great many others equally objectionable. Now, why should the colony be burdened with these useless men. If a Legislative Council is necessary at all, men of ability, of honor, and of undoubted integrity ought to be selected for it. Instead of that Government after Government have swamped it with useless imbeciles, who are not only receiving honorariums but, also, are an impediment in the way of legislation. Are these the sort of men who ought to be entrusted with the power of correcting the work of the Lower House 1 Do they represent the brain power of the country ? We have no hesitation in saving they do not, and that the Upper House as at present constituted is not competent to revise the enactments of the Lower House. Taking these circumstances into consideration, without going into the question as to whether the elective or nominative system is the best, we think that a wholesale clearing out is absolutely necessary, and this cannot be done except by making the Council elective. Then people would have an opportunity of electing men capable of forming pound judgment. We have two members of the Upper House in this district. One attends regularly to his duties, the other was minding his business down here when two months of the session had passed and gone. The honorable gentleman who attends to his legislative duties possesses capabilities inferior to none in the Council, the other may a? well he allowed to pnss without criticism. Nov, one of these would bo irlecteil by tho people of this district without delay, tho other

would not. la it right that tbia gentleman should be paid by the colony, when attending to his own business, and is it right that he should be foisted upon the people as one of their lawgivers ? We think not. Our opinion is that the Council should be elected, but not on the principle that is embodied in the Government proposals. The principal object in having the Legislative Council at all is to conserve the interests of the rich, and to keep a check npon the radical tendencies of the Lower House. This beiug 10, they ought to be elected by the rich, and no honorarium should be attached to the position, for if they go to Parliament to look after the interests of their own class the country ought not be called upon to pay for it. Those who could not afford it ought to stop at home. More than sufficient are as 'willing as Barkiss' to go for the honor and glory of being political Lords. We trust that when the matter comes on for discussion—for come it will before long—the new ennstituton of the Council will be formulated m the principles we have indicated.