THE DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF NEW ZEALAND POLITICS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7822, 15 June 1909, Page 1

THE DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF NEW ZEALAND POLITICS.

To the Editor. ih Sir, —Your recent editorials on Ne'"RJj Zealand politics are admirable reflect tions of ■ the existing stats of publife fooling, and it is not to the credit of our local parliamentarians that they have failed to signify their appreeialtion, and the public service you hayip rendered in thereby calling attention to the Premier's partiality for political limelight, and their neglect induces me to attempt to remedy their omission. / That the Premier should succeed ; iri carrying his dual proposals without'incurring a spirited protest from the general public reflects unfavourably oh the democratic spirit of the electorate, consideration of whose business 'mus£ now be postponed for more than three months.' Mr Asquith's despatch affords no warrant for doing so, but, even admitting thrtt it is necessary—as is claimed by the Premier—that the dominion be represented by himself in person, no. sufficient reason has been adduced for the. adjournment of Parliament until his return.. The arguments put forward by Sir Joseph in support of his proposals seem to me to be logically weak and untenable, Hi that, while in effect he states that thje business awaiting parliamentary consideration in too important to be committed to the care of his colleagues, he will not allow it to interfere with his projected visit to' London, but coolly subordinates public, •business tp consideration for his own ends. ' Thjts in the much-vaunted " Home of Democracy !" ' i . * .ma>j Do doing the .Premier an injustice, but my impression is that he is not averse to a certain amount of "lioiijising," and that he anticipates being publicly received arid feted in London in return for the theatrically offered Dreadnought; even if he does riot pleasurably dream of securing a further handle to his name. $ Mr Asquith's despatch suggests thajfc the dominion's representativel be "assisted by an expert to advise.? on the "technical or quasitechnieal naval and military matters" which will. ,mqst likely form a large item in the consultation ; but Sir Joseph, in his anxiety to pose-as the sole cynosure of .British political eyes, evidently considers himself qualified to dispense with professional assistance, and shows no disposition to comply with Mr Asquithfs suggestion. Can it be that ■ the presence of an expert'might detract froiri the attention the Premier hopes'" to focus on himself, and that this consideration accounts for his failure to enlist the suggested assistance. _ '* A not inconsiderable section of thp public entertains doubts as to the nature of the motives which prompted tsfe Premier's action in the matter of th Je Dreadnought offer, and he' has- only himself to blame if they find confirmation of their doubts in his evident intention of acting as New Zealand's ojn'e and only representative, in ov>-nositibn to the Homo Government's clearly expressed desire for the appointment; of an expert adviser. . 1% . The whole circumstances of the cage make it abundantly clear thatj as your leading article of 29th of May put ijj, "Politics in New Zealand in a deplorable position " ; otherwise the Premier of an avowedly democratic country would never have carried his ,tjji-i constitutional proposal of.adjournment if even he would have dared to, bring such a proposal to the vote. I cast rip i imputation on the grit of our local representative, Mr Nosworthy; "but by | refraining from voicing his protest against the Premier's cool effrontery, ho has lost an opportunity of proving his possession of that .independence! of mind and speech so much to be desired in our representatives. What a reflection on the capability of our member's of Parliament, that the, absence of the Premier deprives the House 'of its ability to undertake the work for which it was elected! If they are willing to lie under such an imputation of incapability as that cast upon, them by the Premier, it is their own concern; but one wonders how such men contrived to obtain sufficient support to enable them to add the honourable affix M.P. to their names, so recently as■ November. I make bold to say that if the opinion of the intelligent public were ascertained, the Premier would most probably be found to be out of touch with the electorate on the matter of adjournment, and time will perhaps supply proof of this fact. Alford Forest Road, June 12, 1909.