OUR REPRESENTATIVES.

Evening Star, Issue 4525, 30 August 1877, Page 1

OUR REPRESENTATIVES.

Mr Bastikos and Mr Labnach were passengers by the Arawata from Wellington on bunday. Both these gentlemen are representatives of this Provincial district in the General Assembly, and Mr Larhtach ia member for the City. They were both absent during the first fortnight of the session, and now leave their Parliamentary duties at a time when measures of the most vital importance to the Colony and their constituencies are under consideration. We are quite aware that in the mere matter o£ voting power the absence of members may be arranged for by pairing or otherwise; but we have a right to look for something in our representatives beyond the mere recording of votes; namely, the application of business ability to the measures before the House, and the exercise of legitimateinfiuence on behalf of the interests confided to them. Dunedin will not recover for years from the results of the apathy of its members during the last session in the matter of railway communication, Messrs Macandrew and Stout having too much engaged in political intrigue and baiting Ministers to attend to such trifles as the prevention of the divergence of our traffic to other ports and the opening up of the interior of the country, and Mr Larnach apparently not bothering himself about public affairs at all, even when it suited his private engagements to attend in his place. We protest emphatically against the acceptance of so grave a responsibility as the representation of any section of the people by gentlemen who have no time to attend to the duties of the position. We presume this to be the case with Mr Larnach, and we think in justice to his constituents, as well as to himself, he would do well to resign into their hands the trust he is unable to fulfil. Mr Bastinos, who represents a goldfields district (the Wakaia) leaves Tk ellington at the time wben the new Mining Bill, a measure especially touching the interests of his constituents, is being subjected to the criticism and revision of the Goldfields Committee, of which he is a member, and in whose deliberations he is especially fitted to take an intelligent part He leaves the Land Bill, fraught for good or evil with the destinies of the country districts, wet from the press; and has, we suppose, entrusted his political conscience, in the shape of a "pair," to the Government whips. As a member of our Waste land Board, and one who has deserved the repute of being a liberal one, with experience in the working of the existing law and sound views with regard to the character of the legislation best adapted to ensure settlement, we should say that Mr Bastings's place just now is in the House and the committee-rooms, and not capering about between Dunedin and Lawrence on his private affairs. We have felt it our duty to speak out in this matter. The absence of our representatives is a grievous wrong, and, on their part, utterly inexcusable, and the sooner they either resign their seats or return to their duties the more consistent will it be with their personal and political honor.