POLITICS OF OLD

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 59, 6 September 1913, Page 9

POLITICS OF OLD

_ SB PARLIAMENT'S FIRST SESSION A FEW OFFICIAL RECORDS. FIGHT FOR MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITY. A vagrant volume, which is a pro* ' cious Btore of history, found a home recently in tho Wellington Public Library. It embodies the votes and proceedings of the House of Represents tives for the year 1854 — a combination of the minutes, reports of committees and commissions, returns and statutes of the first New Zealand Parliament's first two sessions. The opening ,was on 24th May, 1854. A DISPUTE ABOUT PRAYERS. ■ ' One of the earliest debates was on tho subject of prayer. It was moved :—: — "That it is fit and proper that the first act of the House of Representatives shall bo a public of tho Divine Being and a public supplication for His favour on its future labours."' The motion was carried after the following amendments had been defeated or withdrawn :— "That this House be not converted into 'a convonticle, and that prayer bo not offered up." "That this House, whilst fully rocognising the importance of religious observances, will not commit itself to any '• act which may tend to subvert the perfect religious equality that is" recognised by pur Constitution, and therefore cannot consistently open this House with prayer." "That in proceeding to carry out tho resolution of the House to open tho proceedings with prayer, the House distinctly asserts the privilege of a perfect political equality in. all religious de» , nominations, and that whoever may bo celled upon to perform this du,ty for tho House it is not thereby intended to con far or admit any pro-eminence to that Church or roligious body to which ho may belong." "THE COMMONS" ON CRIMEA. On Friday, 14th July, 1854, the Representatives forwarded the following address:— "To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty.— We, Your Majesty's faithful subjects, the ' Commons of New Zealand, in the House of Representatives assembled, have learned with deep interest that Your Majesty has been compelled to take up arms in defence of an ancient ally against the aggression of Russia. Wo feel it our duty, in common with all Your Majesty's subjects, to approach Your Majesty to repeat the as« surance of our devoted loyalty, and to express our sympathy with tho just and generous cause in which Your Majesty is engaged. This colony, young and. feeble, situated in so remote a por* , tion of the globe, can unfortunately add but little to tho expression of its unalterable attachment and true and faithful allegiance to Your Majesty's Throne and person. We pray it may please Almighty God to accord victory to YvjurMajesty's arms, and to render- theip speedy triumph His chosen means fou the speedy re-establishment of a lasting peace, based on aafe .and solid foundations." . MODERN REFORMS ANTICIPATED ' Nearly sixty years ago a Select Com-i mittee of the House of Representatives reported on "Secondary Punishments in Lieu of Transportation." The document contained the best of the ideas recently embodied in legislation for the accommodation and reformation of criminals— but tho ideas 'mostly remained on paper, pigeonholed, for long years. Similarly the policy of cheap money for settlers was projected six decadea ago—on 9th August, 1854 — when Mr. Travers gjaye notice to move : —"That it is the opinion of this House that establishments upon tho principle of Comp* toils Natsonaux of Franco for encouraging and promoting agriculture by means ot loans at moderate interest, and for fixed terms to the bona-fide cultivators of land Bhould be , formed by Government in tho various provinces in connection with the offices for administering . the waste lands of the Crown." THE COMMONS* INDOMITABLE. | While the session was young the Re* presentatives decided to strive for a fair , system of Ministerial responsibility, ' and .therefore resolved: "That amongst tho objocts which this House desires to see accomplished without delay, both as an essential means whereby the General Government may rigHtly; exercise a duo control over tho Provincial Governments and as a no less indispensable means of obtaining for the General Government tho confidence and attachment of thepeople, tho most important ia tho establishment of Ministerial responsibility in tho conduct of legislative and executive proceedings by the Governor." Colonel Wynyard (the "officer administering tho Government") declared that ho would be obliged to consult tho Crown before the' Representatives' plea could be granted in full, and thus began a long dispute. Finally the Re-> presentat'ves sent His Excellency an address containing this piece of frankness: — v . "To sum up tho case, the wholo organisation of Government has appeared to this House in a state of weakness and disorder demanding strong and" immediato measures, both for restoring it to healthy and vigorous action and for adapting it to tho recent constitutional changes. ' Under existing circumstances the present officers ofi the executive Government cannot, in tho judgment of this House, continue to direct public affairs so as to Batisfy the colony or win the confidence of the Legislature. They have been hitherto merely tho instruments of arbitrary rule, nor can it bo expected that officers under whose management disordoi's and abuses have giown up should bo tho ready and proper instruments for correcting them. ' The deadlock persisted, and therefore tho Governor, after polite references to a "fruitless session" and' a statement that "he is painfully convinced that, as rogards legislation for the service of tho colony, the session has come to an end," prorogued Parliament on 17th Augußt. In the speech for the opening of tho second session on 31st August, 1854, Colonel Wynyard remarked :— "ln exorcising tho power of the Crown until prospective legislation shall take effect and complete Ministerial responsibility shall be established, I shall always have in view the infusion of activity and vigour into tho working of all departments. These are principally the Post Office, tho Administration of Customs, and the disposal of waste lands.".