PARTY POLITICS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 173, 24 July 1941, Page 13

PARTY POLITICS

SYSTEM CONDEMNED

DOMINION GOVERNMENT

"Turn on the radio and listen dispassionately to proceedings in the House of Representatives and ask yourself: Is it edifying or worthy of a number of men meeting to legislate for New Zealand? I must admit I cannot listen to them with any feeling of satisfaction as a taxpayer." These remarks were made by Mr. T. U. Wells when at a luncheon of the Auckland Creditmen's Club he referred to the evils of the party system of Government in the Dominion.

"I would like to remind you that party government here is a heritage from the Old Land/' said Mr. Wells. ! "Its weaknesses in England are acknowledged by leading statesmen, writers and thinkers. Here in New Zealand the evils are far more pronounced, to my mind, than in the Old Land. liO.Viilty Before Ability "In New Zealand it, may happen that the party in power has a majority of only two or three, so the incoming Prime Minister when he starts to choose his Cabinet of I.'! or 14 members has the difficulty of selecting a team to manage the country's affairs. The leader of the party coming into power may feel he has to reward a loyal supporter without regard to ability. It may happen that men are appointed to Ministerial positions having control of large sums of money who have never experienced what it is to be in big business and having to handle large sums. It is very easy to spend money belonging to other people." Mr. Wells referred to the Swiss system. whereby the Federal Assembly elected an executive, with the result that any outsider with ability could be chosen to assist in the management of the country's affairs. Under this system men "of ability were retained for 10, 20 or even 150 years, and there was a continuity of policy which did not exist in any other country. "I do not imagine that the adoption of the Swiss system would end the party system, for wherever you get men of strong character you will find them organising to put their views before the people, but it would do away with the wretched system of voting for party, whether right or wrong." Mr. Wells added.