BASIC PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 235, 3 July 1939, Page 8

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY

Responsibility Of The

Individual

LEGISLATORS AT CHURCH IN WELLINGTON

Basic principles of democracy were discussed by the vicar of St. Paul’s ProCathedral, Canon D. J. Davies, in his sermon at an opening of Parliament service held in the Pro-Cathedral yesterday morning.

The congregation included the Gov-ernor-General, Viscount Galway; the Minister of Education, Mr. Fraser, who has been acting as Leader of the House of Representatives during the absence of the Prime Minister; the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in New Zealand, Sir Harry Batterbee; the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones; the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Lee Martin ; the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Barnard; the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Hamilton ; the mayor of Wellington, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop; members of both Houses of Parliament and officers of the three defence services. > , His Excellency read the lessons. Mr. Davies said that one of the chief characteristics of the New Testament was its high estimate of personality. Christ had phrased his religious teaching in terms of family life. Christianity judged all forms of government, all corporate action and all legislation by its effect on the lives of men and women. The primary feature of democracy was self-government of the people. The great merit of democracy was that it assigned every member a great responsibility for the good government of its nation by the State. Practice in self-government was an almost indispensable element. Good government could not be regarded as an adequate substitute for self-govern-ment. Democracy elevated the people, disseminated culture and enabled all to enjoy and. possess the treasures of the mind. It respected the rights of other people and was now deeply concerned about peace. All institutions characteristic of democracy sprang ultimately from a fine appreciation of the dignity of man. If democracy were to survive an urgent need was a revival of religion. .