Story: Parliament

This is the final gathering of the Legislative Council on 1 December 1950; it ceased to exist on 1 January 1951.

Listen to Charles Wheeler, long-serving press-gallery reporter, describe the role of the Legislative Council and the events leading to its abolition.

Transcript

With the passing of the old year, New Zealand loses one of its legislative chambers. During the whole period of representative government we've had two branches of the legislature. One an elected House of Representatives and the other, this disappearing institution, the Legislative Council whose members were nominated by the government of the day, first for life and then later for seven-year periods. This change is a constitutional revolution, but it was made quietly. British people can do drastic things without riotous demonstrations. When Mr Holland, as leader of the Opposition, introduced a bill to abolish the Legislative Council, only a few interested in constitutional questions showed much concern. Private Members' Bills rarely got far in Parliament, but Mr Holland's opportunity came within a year, when as head of the government, he could try again with the certainty he'd succeed. But council has been unobtrusive or, should I say, unassertive for years. Newspapers neglected it and the average man hardly knew it existed.