LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORMS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1389, 28 May 1881, Page 3

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORMS.

Tiik Government proposals on the above named subject are alluded to in another column. Since the remarks thereon were put in print, the address delivered by the Premier to his constituency at Leeston has come to hand, from which we make the following extract in explanation of the reforms contemplated : — Government believed that the constitution might beneficially be amended in another direction. Sir George Grey had last session advocated sweeping away the nominated Governor and the Legislative Council. To any suoh policy as that he (Mr. Hall) totally objected. He believed a second Chamber to be necessary and most useful in any form of national representative government. For any Minister or body of men to be conscious of posHessing absolute power without a check or appeal was dangerous, and likely to lead to' despotism. The Legislative Council of New Zealand had by its action greatly improved our legislation, It had not resisted any important measuie 01 which public opinion had been definitely ex-pte-ised, but it had saved the Colony from dangerous proposals which had never been renewed — such, for instance, as those for wholesale piovincial borrowing, and the plan for giving Maoris greater electoral privileges than Europeans — but at present a head -strong Minister and a pliant Government might, by increasing the number of members of the Legislative Council, destroy the moderating influence of that Chamber just at the time when the exercisa of that influence would be most valuable to the country. Amongst the many suggestions for improving the constitution of the Council, his opinion most inclined to one similar to that discussed by the House in 1878, on the motion of Mr, Curtis. That plan was in effect that the number of members of the Council should be one-half the number of members of the House, that whenever a vacancy occurred it should be filled by a vote of the House taken by ballot ; and if there was prolonged difference of opinion as to any measure, it should be settled by the two Chambers sitting as one, aud voting npon the quention. It was supposed that by such a plan eleotions to the Council would, as far as possible, be freed from a party character, and that there would be more probability than at present that members of the Council would, as far as possible, be from those who had rendered eminent services to the Colony, whether, in the House, upon the Judge's Bench, or in any other capacity, or from those who had become conspicuous by general ability and high character. The question was, however, a most serioua one, and it would have to be very fully considered by Parliament and the country before any practical attempt was made to solve the grave constitutional problem of how to secure a satisfactory second Chamber in a new and progressive country.