LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2385, 21 July 1892, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Mu O’Connor thinks the Legislative Couneil should be elected by loeal bodies. A nice Legislative Council we should have under such circumstances, We never knew what Conservatism was until we got a Legislative Council elected by local bodies. No suggestion could possibly lead to worse results and cause more mischief than this if carried out. At present the Council is to a certain extent amenable to the people, but if elected by the local bodies they would be amenable to nobody ; they would simply do what they thought fit. It is a recognised rule with the House of Lords to yield to public opinion. For instance, if a measure is passed in the House of Commons and the Lords disapprove of it they throw it out, but if the Government go to the country and the electors declare in favor of it the Lords pass it. The Lords know very well that if they were to offer too much resistance to the will of the people, the result would be the complete abolition of their own order, and consequently they are generally very careful lest they might arouse public indignation against themselves, Our New Zealand Legislative Council is established on the model of the House of Lords, but the advantages are greatly in our favor. The House of Lords is hereditary: as soon as one Lord dies his son or heir takes his seat, but our Legislative Council is appointed by the Government of the day aud that makes a great difference. Fresh blood, fresh ideas, and fresh vigor in harmony more or less with prevailing sentiments is getting into the Council from time to time, and thus its character is always changing. This will be more so in the future, as members will be elected only for seven years. There cannot be the slightest doubt but that if we are to have a Legislative Council at all the present system is the best. In some of the other colonies the Council is elected, and the result is not good. For instance, it led to a deadlock in Melbourne last year. The Council said in effect: “We are elected by the people; we represent the people as well as the Lower House, and we have as good a right to legislate for the people as the Lower House.” Besides, if the Upper House is elected the Government of the day has no control over it, and it can do what it likes. In New Zealand, on the other hand, the Government can bring the Council to a compliance with its views, if the country is in harmony therewith. At the present time the Government certainly find it difficult to do so, owing to the Governor having refused to make fresh appointments, but if this leads to an election, and the Government is returned stronger than ever, the Governor can no longer refuse to accept the advice of his Ministers, and must make whatever appointments they like. In this way the Council is practically amenable to the people, and with the seven years tenure of office it appears that it is now as near perfection as possible. Of course we do not believe in a Council at all; we believe in a revising committee select men. but so long as we have a Council the present system appears to be the best.