With which is incorporated " The Ellesmere Chronicle. ' SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1905

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2695, 30 September 1905, Page 2

With which is incorporated " The Ellesmere Chronicle. ' SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1905

In the House on Monday night Mr Seddon announced that he would most likely bring down the Referendum Bill m the course of a few days. This measure proposes to give the Government power to take a referendum of the electors of the colony on important questions of the day, such for. instance, as the abolition of the tbtalisator, the introduction of Bible reading into schools, and others When this referendum proposal was on the boards last year, we express ed the opinion that it was unnecessary, and we see no reason to change our opinion on this subject. Parliament is elected for the purpose ol dealing with the business of the country, and the proposal to give ii power to submit certain questions— whether definitely selected questions or any it chooses—to the popular vote is simply a proposal to allow tht Government to evade its responsibilities and to shift portion of the burden of the duties for which i exists on to the shoulders of the people. The taking of a referendurr would be an added expense to tin cost of governing the colony, whil< the benefit that would be receivec would not, as far as we can see, be o any considerable value. It is becoming more and more evident that thi policy of evading the assumption o a definite attitude on crucial question; is one that recommends itself to Mi Seddon's idea of party tactics, an( the referendum naturally recom mends itself to him for the reasor that, under the pretence of allowing the people to settle their own bgis lation, it relieves the Government ir nnw^r of what may happen to be ai Ui* x 1 . .-ant embarrassment. Wha the constitutional practice of centur ies dictates is that a Governmen should submit a measure themselvei when the subject dealt with is 1 policy one, as many of thpse likelj to be submitted to the referendun undoubtedly are, and whatever th< result may be, the Governmen should stand or fall by it. There an many objections to the referendum as a general political principle, although its apparent success ir Switzerland is often quoted m support of.it. But it must be remem bered that Switzerland is one of the smallest- and poorest countries ir Europe, and no very reliable lesson can be drawn from its experience The experience has also been tried m some of the United Slates ol America; but the trial has been such a partial one that it is impossible tc decide for certain what the result would be if it wa.s tested over the whole "of the country; Ii is urged, too, that the referendum is a democratic measure, and ought therefore to find approval m the eyes of a democratic country such as New Zealand. We think, however, that there is a distant danger of carrying democracy too far, and though the people of this country are, as a whole as advanced m education and freedom of thought as any others, it can scarcely be contended with much force that the general mass of the people are.fitted to have the decision of vital and difficult matters placed m their bands. Parliament is intended to represent the intelligence and opinions of the various parts of the country, and its members have the means of becoming acquainted with all the various aspects of the various important questions of the day, m a [ way that the populace cannot and do not want to imitate. To entrust vitally important questions —except the simplest —to the decision of the populace would, therefore, m our j opinion be a step whose ultrademoc- i rajic nature, so far from being its ; greatest recommendation is m reality ' its greatest danger. In New Zealand we'haye short Parliaments, and any ; diversity that reveals itself between the views of members and the feelings of the country Ins a chance of being rectified once evei y tiiree years, so that i 1 this country , there is little force m the argument that some means are needed for

supplying the want of touch between a, member and his constituency. The weakening of responsibility that would ensue among members from the principle of the referendum would result m a deterioration m the tone of Parliament and of the debates. The people vote for the candidates mainly according to the measures the latter are. prepared to support, and j this is sufficient to ensure that Parliament shall be a fair representation of the views and feelings of the people If at any time it is not so, it ought to j be replaced by oue that \s, and no Government should have the opportunity of keeping itscif m offLv, by < | being willing to inu-ovlu.ee any meas- ' | ure that may be earned by refer \ endum, although that measure may t be quite opposed Eo its own hunest j conviqiiuiis. *