Evening Post. FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1888. THE POLICY OF OBSTRUCTION.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 27 July 1888, Page 2

Evening Post. FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1888. THE POLICY OF OBSTRUCTION.

The " stonewall " erected laßt night to bar the progress of the Otago Central Railway Bill affords another discreditable instance of how the forma of Parliament may be abused by a minority having a higher regard for the gratification of their own personal feelings than for the good of the J country or the dignity of the Legislature of which they form a part. Suoh tactics as are being pursued in reference to this Bill are entirely inconsistent with the principles of Parliamentary government, The very essence of such government is that the majority shall rule, and the transference of power to the hands of a minority is well known that a considerable majority of the House of Representatives is in favonr of this JsM, and in this, we believe, it correctly represents the feelings of a vast majority of the people of the colony, but a small minority by indireot means thwarts the majority, and prevents effect being jiven to the will of the people. Suoh » position is utterly unconstitutional, and its existence io calculated to bring Parliament into disrepute, if not into absolute pontempt. The general feeling of the publio is, we know, one of deep disgust at the exhibitions of "stonewalling" which have rooently been given. Members are Bent to Parliament to fairly discuss subieots of publio interest, and to pass suoh enactments as after tuoh disenssion it shall appear desirable to the majority should be passed. Now. there is not a pretence of fair discussion in the present case. The discussion of every prinoiple and detail of the measure has boen absolutely exhaustive. The talk has long ceased -to be argumentative, and has beoome simply obstructive. It is absolute talk against time, and persistent indulgence in it is an insolt to the intelligence of the country, which the constituents of the obstructionists will, we hope, fittingly resent when the opportunity is afforded. There was a time when New Zealand wa3 proud, and had reason to be proud, of its Representative Chamber, but that time has passed, and the House is rapidly falling to a level of its contemporary Chamber in New South Wales. It could not fall inuoh lower. That it has taken to dearing the galleries so that the publio may not witness what goes on through the weary hours of obstruction, will not save its reputation. That at a period in the history of the colony, when the utmost wisdom is necessary to avoid finanoial disaster, the House of Representatives should be made the theatre of such exhibitions as have recently beoome familiar, must be a subject of the most poignant regret to every man really interested in the welfare of his adopted country. Neko fiddled while Borne was burning. Our legislators talk twaddle while the country is going from bad to worse, and is being denuded of its population, owing to bad government. And the obstructionists are the most blatant roarers for retrenchment. We venture unhesitatingly to assert that all the reductions which they may succeed in making in the Estimates, by ontting down salaries, will not by a very long way cover the cost to the oountry of the " stonewalls" of this session. The public, however, Bstimate their patriotism and economy at their true value, and we shall be surprised if many of tho leading obstructionists are not conspicuous by their absence from the next Parliament.