The Evening Star. DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, NOV. 3, 1865.

Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 779, 3 November 1865, Page 2

The Evening Star. DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, NOV. 3, 1865.

Our telegram from Christchurch last night announced that Mr Crosbie Ward had met his constituents to explain his proceedings in the Assembly. We notice also that various other hon. members have done the same thing in other Provinces. But there is as yet no sign that the members for Dunedin, all of whom have taken a prominent part in tbe proceedings in Parliament, and one of whom was a member of the late Cabinet, intend favoring their constituents with that explanation of their political conduct which is necessary to enable a fair opinion to be formed of it. We can understand why one honorable member should not be anxious to meet the electors ; and probably all of them would ( prefer the initiative to be taken by the j public. 'With this view, we would suggest j that a requisition be got up inviting the Dunedin Members of the Assembly to a public meeting for the purpose of enabling the electors to hear an explanation of tne xourse their representatives have taken

with regard to-, the great' political questions of the day. It would be convenient that this meeting should- take place before the opening of " the Provincial Council, which talses place on the : 14th inst.

We need hardly point out the necessity for thus demanding an account of their stewardship from those who have been entrusted with the duty of representing the political interests of the people. The relations between the electors and their representatives should be clearly understood ; and although the recent session is the last of the present Parliament, it is not the less necessary that the electors should have the opportunity of endorsing or dissenting from the policy supported by their members. It is possible also that some of the present members may offer themselves for re-election, and this consideration gives additional importance to the proposed meeting. The electors require to be enlightened on many subjects; and who ought to be so able to afford that information as those who have taken part in the proceedings of the past session ? They will like to know, for instance, how Major Richardson can justify his blind adherence to the revolutionary policy of Mr. "Weld ; —"vvhy he supported a proposal for robbing the Province of its revenues, and for imposing additional taxation on his already overburdened constituents ;—and generally, "why he adhered to a Ministry whose policy would most likely have hurried the Colony into bankruptcy. They require to learn the merits of the opinions held by the other members on the important questions of separation and taxation, and. on other vital subjects. At present, the electors

have only the diluted reports of newspapers to judge by ; they now need a personal explanation, so that their verdict of approval or dissent may be made known throughout the Colony, and indicate the popular opinion of the most important constituency in Otago.