The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Ressurexi. WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1884.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4830, 2 July 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Ressurexi. WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1884.

Ij requires bat a [brief perusal of Hansard to-produce the impression that our, Upper House, «as at present constituted, should be known as a thing of the past. It would take a fearfully and wonderfully made man* to—in all sincerity"--vie Gilbert's lines, "We lore our House of Peers.".- Of all the inane drivel, absurd twaddle, and insensate balderdash com* mitted to print, the proceedings of the Legislative Council are perhaps, as, ft precedent, on a *pinoacle. * This community of irresponsible old women, as we may call them—from a legislatirely Pickf* wickian scfnse, of course—are almost daily calling down upon their unfortunate heads the ridicule of those who peruse the reports of their sayings'and doings, and seemingly ignorant or careless of " the wrath to come," they continue 'on their course of .uselessness, and don't even offer an excuse to a captious critic by going out of their "jog trot," t hum-drum system of meeting three or four times a week for a few hours at each sittingi and talking some senile rubbish.. The only use the Chamber-appears to be of, ie as a

TiaviiTof^eTuge for superannuated polity cians ; a handy means—to a Ministry-— of keeping a . useful colleague, should he betrejected by the* people ; or a snuggery for the iaithjul supporters of tarious Gprernments, who "cannot be provided with emoiunients or honors elsewhere. The pjresent Bystem of TTppe^, House repreßieptation?(P| in}, certainly capable of a very sweeping reform, and the sooner it takeipla'be'th^ like th> presebt for urging this.* y We are on the Terge; of a general 'election, and such a question; should be made one of the most important laid before the people. ;The popular\Chamber would, of-coarse* find "aonio; difficulty; in making the ;Up|*r House - so drastic a* measure as;; one. leading almost to annihilation; but much,as the present body ■of ;";Lords "C would meet with our sympathy in their woe consequent on dissolution, wejare consoled with the thought that the succeeding .joy -ipeca*; sioned by .the resulting public benefit irould fully/cpunter-balance the prerious grief. The colony of ;VictoiHai-:which :may frpm a; legwlatiTe, as well as many other ppipts -of tiew, be quoted asr a.;; Model * colony, \ hatj had a long experience r-ifanNele^tiTeltrpper House, based upon \ properi^;igualification. The system adp^tedin the"sisfer colony, has worked' admirably,^ tical measureii emanating from the higher chamber there which have prored of much benefit tb the pedpje.' The members are resppnsible to their constituenttf there —■■ here ■ ,they#are whvHyiuncbritrolled; The elective system is undoubtedly the ;best, not only as regards the selection of members, but in the prerention of Gorernments strengthening their party by nominations to the Council to carry out a policy ; for purposes of reward; or otherwise^ We earnestly hope that the subject will not be lost-sight of. by the electors in the coming struggle, bat that candidates will be.impressed by the elec--1 tors with the necessity of endearouring .to work a reform in the direction we indicate.