Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 213
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
In a message of 17 July 1933 the Governor advised that he had in
the name of His Majesty assented to A Bill entitled "An Act to
make certain provisions for carrying into effect the Constitution
Amendment (Legislative Council) Act, 1932; to amend the
Constitution Further Amendment (Referendum) Act, 1930, and
certain other Acts; and for purposes connected therewith" (the
Constitution Further Amendment (Legislative Council Elections)
Act, 1932), having received instructions from His Majesty to
assent thereto, and was transmitting it to the Legislative Council
to be numbered and forwarded for enrolment.
Included are two copies of the Bill and papers relating to obtaining
the Royal Assent to the Bill; copies of telegrams to and from the
Secretary of State with translations; and the Attorney General's
advice as to whether the Governor could give his assent to it or
whether he was required, under the provisions of the Constitution
or any other Acts or Royal Instructions, to withhold his assent or
to reserve it for the significance of His Majesty's pleasure.
Premier's Department
Letters received — Special bundles - Certain matters
relating to the Legislative Council before re-constitution in
1934, eg dispute between the Premier 3 T Lang and the
Governor, 1915-27
CGS 12061,
[A1941B, Box
3 part]
The file commences with a question posed in the Legislative
Council on 23 November 1915 about whether the abolition of the
Legislative Council was currently the "first plank of the Labour
platform" and whether the Government was prepared to emulate
the occurrences in the Queensland Parliament and take immediate
steps to abolish the House. The reform of the Legislative Council
was regularly raised in the Parliament (eg in 1918, 1921 and
1924).
Papers relate to a possible referendum on the Legislative Council
(1916); discussions in Cabinet about the possible abolition of the
Council; and the abolition of the Legislative Council in Queensland
in 1922, with a copy of Queensland's The Constitution Act
Amendment Act of 1922. Included are confidential cables to and
from the Premier's Office and the Agent General Office, London, in
January-April 1926; translations of cables and translation keys;
newspaper clippings, both local and overseas; memoranda and
1925-26 correspondence between the Governor and the Premier re
increasing the membership of the Council; The Legislative Council
(Papers and correspondence between His Excellency the Governor
Sir Dudley De Chair, and the Premier of New South Wales, the
Honorable J.T. Lang, regarding the appointment of twenty-five
members to), ordered by the Council to be printed 12 January
1926 (comprising 1925 papers); paper The Legislative Council of
N.S.W. and the House of Lords; Minutes of Proceedings of the
Legislative Council and extracts from Hansard about the
abolition/reform of the Legislative Council; and, some
representations from groups such as the Balmain branch of the
Australian Labor Party in favour of the abolition of the Legislative
Council.
210
State Records Authority of New South Wales
