THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 88, 15 April 1899, Page 3

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

The National Council of Women resumed sitting yesterday afternoon at the. Council - "Chambers. Mrs W. C. Daldy presiding. PARTY GOV ELINMEX 11.I1. Mrs VVilliamson moved 'That the system of party Government in New Zealand has many evils connected with it, and is entirely uhsuited to the circumstances of the colony.' Mrs Williamson condemned party government, which she looked upon as a relic of the old fighting instinct in mankind. She thought it was an absurdity for the Government to take a particular stand on a particular measure, and say, 'We will make this a party question, and if it is not passed we will go out of office.' Mrs Wells seconded. Although we in New Zealand boasted of our representative power, we were, she held, very far from possessing real representation. Men were elected to oppose or support one man. We had no such thing as representative government. We had the representation of one man, and his party would often follow him blindly, while others would follow the leader of the Opposition. Men, not measures, was the cry. The strange thing was that the people applauded the game, not seeing that their interests were being sacrificed. The consequence was that social legislation, which was of buirning interest to all, was only brought about at the point of the bayonet. All the good measures passed last session were so passed. Mrs Nicol referred to women canvassing at elections, and strongly deprecated the practice of women canvassing for pay—l 2/0 per day. Mrs Fletcher did not consider that any one man should be given so much power as a Premier had. Mrs May objected to the present system because a representative was a slave to his party, and he was hot a free man; therefore not a true man. Mrs Kirkby said she was most emphatically in favour of party government. Mrs Tasker thought that the squabble for the loaves and fishes , would be worse than ever if the party j system were done away with. . The motion was adopted by 16 votes to 4. ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE. Mrs Wells moved, 'That this Council views with dissatisfaction the manifest inefficiency of the New Zealand Parliament as an instrument for obtaining beneficial legislation or administration. The Council is of opinion that, in order to effect any real improvement in Parliamentary methods, the House of Representatives should elect the ijnembers of the Cabinet, who shall thustoe made individually directly responsible and removable by the House. The Council is further of opinion that each member of the House should be free to act according to the wishes of his constituents or the dictates of his conscience, and not be the mere slave' of party.' She con- j tended that as a remedy against the , evils of party government the elective executive was of primary importance. By its means a Premier would be dispossessed of the power he now had of appointing the Ministers to the various portfolios. As things were, it was not likely the Premier would appoint any man who might be a thorn in his side. He did not welcome criticism, he only desired servants willing to do" his bidding. The members of the Cabinet were first of all servants of the Prime Minister; their duty to 1 the people in the discharge of their ! important duties was a secondary one. • Now, if,, as it should be at on^ee, the I power of choice of Ministers lay in the hands of the people's representatives,. the personal considerations of the head of the Government would be much less likely to be considered. Fit- | ness to command and order in a certain office would be the qualification first considered. Many of our people were ignorant of the conduct .of Parliament, and were astounded to hear that the choice of Ministex's lay in the hand of one man. The elective executive would, of course, make for a more representative Government. Under the present system we had only a partial system of representative Government.' The appointments of Government -would be much more likely to be made on merit rather than from j party or Personal considerations. She j advocated .the establishment of Civil j Service Bonrds. An elective executive j would make for- security of tenure of j office. To-day, if there were want of ; confidence 5n any department of the Administration the whole of the Cab- | met went out of power. Under the ; elective executive only the Minister whose administration had been unsatisfactory would be dismissed from office. . .

Mrs Sievwright seconded. After discussion,, the motion was carried by 15 to 5. • • :