OUR UPPER HOUSE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10287, 15 July 1911, Page 5

OUR UPPER HOUSE.

,- REASONS FOR REFORM.

MR HERDMAN'S CRITICISM.

"The New Zealand Upper House—the local House of Peers—is one of the most remarkable institutions in the declared Mr Herdman at. Plalmersiton' South. ' "It consists-.of two classes of .men. Our local noblemen- "

A Voice: Rejects. (Laughter.) Anottfeer Voice: A fossil museum. (Renewed laughter.) Mr Herdman.: That .is. where they ought to be. Our UpperiHouse consists of two who are in for seven years, and those who are in for life. (Loud laughter). The gentlemen Whsfe«,re for life are few. , They are gradually dying off. They -were ajppointed many years ago. The "lifers" are really very estimable (Laughter.) I <am>i* speaking seriously. They are highly respectable, highly intelligent men. They .are the best. When you come to the seven-years ..gentlemen they axe a different type altogether. You want the Upper House to act as a check on tip precipitancy of the democratic Lower House,; but so far as our institution is concerned it is not The seven years' men are appoiritfced v :by_ the Government,, .and ■ty& .th^if. Jerml of ; ' *ex- ; pires'',they are looking to the Govern* ment to reappoint them. The consequence is &ey •are , 'tJhe bond slaves of those- who appointed/ih«n. .. .<s. %tiej . .wttv;do.-'..a«-'tli^y., ; "are Ibid ißy MfristeiMfrof ' are no check at all. They are absolutely useless. You don't get wisdom from them.

A Voice: It's, not there! (Loud laughter). Mr Herdman: Perfectly right. It'is. not put ihe matter shortly'/I I say .ijhat some of the appointmenits to ithe Upper House aire a, disgrace to the public life of .the country/ (As-x plaUSe.); '.;.:_.' r -vji-- '•, : J,.]',:-.. Mr Herdman' .weniti on to advocate Mr Massey's' scheme for an elective Upper House, and declared that our Uipper' Chamber was neither useful nor ornamental. The British House of Lords was certainly ornamental, 'and -was useful as .well, containing men %vho had. been viceroys, great diplomatists, generals) admirals), and men holding high positions in the judiciary. We" could not get Hhat in New Zealand, but under Mr .Map-' sey's syfetem there would be a great improvement. (Applause).