TOP-HEAVY SYSTEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 5, 7 January 1938, Page 8

TOP-HEAVY SYSTEM.

OVER-GOVERNED AUSTRALIA.

POLITICIAX'S CRITICISM

"Australia is the happy hunting ground of the politician," said Mr. H. H. Mason, K.C., M.L.A., of Sydney, in remarking on his arrival by the Wanganella from Sydney to-day that the Commonwealth was never reaily free from elections. The Federal election had been held last year, that in XewSoutli Wales would probably take place soon after Easter, and there were five other States, each with its elective svstein.

Where New Zealand had one election Australia had seven, and the position was ripe for a change, he said, but the stumbling block was the professional politician, who had a vested interest in keeping things as they were.

"It is a top-heavy system, and is costly and confusing," he added. "An improvement must come, but how or when no one knows."

Far too much time was wasted on Parliamentary debates, election campaigns and in overlapping administrations, Mr. Mason declared. Differences in the controlling divorce, companies, the liquor traffic and in other directions were illustrations of the results of over-government. '"But the interests of the people are common throughout the continent," he said, "and one Parliament and one administrative machine could do the job. "Yes, we are the most politicallyminded and over-governed people in the world," he concluded, "and perhaps because of that the standard of politics is particularly low."