Hawkes's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, APRIL IS, 1877.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3901, 18 April 1877, Page 2

Hawkes's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, APRIL IS, 1877.

A matter ill "which all the colonies in the Australasian group are more or less concerned was recently referred to bj. r Sir Charles Duffy in a speech he made at Sale. It was the ominous decline in the character of the Parliaments of Australia. It may be that the Parliament of New Zealand has not yet reached the same point of decadence to which several of those in Australia have descended, but there is unfortunately too much reason to fear that the remarks of Sir Charles apply to this colony to a very great extent. " How has it happened," he asked, " that our Parliaments, instead of improving in capacity and usefulness, and drawing to them in a constantly increasing proportion the intellect and experience of the country, have gradually diminished in ability and authority 1 Nearly a dozen years ago I delivered a lecture before the Society of Arts in London in defence of Parliamentary government in Australia. We were accused of having misused and degraded the gift of British liberty, and our legislatures were said to resemble the short-lived and ill-conducted chambers of South America rather than the House of Commons, and in perfect good faith I rebutted those charges. But what could I say now 1 In our early Parliaments there was a general desire to stand on the ancient ways of the constitution, and no man of the least consideration would have consciously violated a Parliamentary practice. But at present scarce one man in ten cares what the rule may be if he can serve the purpose of the hour." Commenting upon the subject, the Australasian points to the disorder and violence, reckless abusiveness, and shameful waste of time shown in the | proceedings of the last Victorian Parliament, in proof that the Parliaments of that colony exhibit a steady decline in tone, spirit, and ability. Curiously enough the last session of the Parliament of this colony exhibited very similar characteristics. There was disorder, I personal abusiveness, and a most shameful waste of time. Formerly ifc I was the boast of our legislators that in tone, in behaviour, in the general conduct of its business, our Parliament took a high position ; one "which, if it was not equal to that of the British Parliament, was, at all events, far above "what the Australian Parliaments had attained. This, however, seems now to be changed. As was shown last session, Aye-are importing some of the worst features of the Australian Parliaments ; we have commenced to deteriorate, and soon, unless the retrogression is stayed, Aye shall have descended to the loAvest leA-el of our Australian examples. Indeed, it is doubtful whether A\ r e have not already reached it. We have had our " stoneAvall " obstructiA'e opposition to the progress of business, and avo have had exhibited that disregard of the principle "which forbids the introduction of the name of the representative of the Queen into political warfare which is becoming prevalent in Victoria, NeAv South Wales, and Tasmania. If our Parliament is not quite equal to the Australian pattern, it is certainly a very good imitation. The question arising from the contemplation of this lamentable decadence is whether anything can be done to stay it. It may be said, truly enough, that the matter is entirely in the hands of the electors. It is they avlio send to Parliament the class of men who bring disgrace upon it, and the cure of the evil lies entirely -with the constituencies. But, unfortunately, the electors are too often beguiled by the very qualities which make a man mischievous as a member of the Assembly. The noisy, frothy orator, avlio speaks to the multitude in terms of abuse of every one except himself and those he is addressing, is just the man they think Avill set things to rights, Avhile in fact he is just the man who becomes in Parliament a j useless obstructionist. If the electors i would only keep in mind how essential it is that the Parliament should consist of men who will apply themselves to the business of legislation, and not to that of fighting personal or party quarrels, they would esclieAV the blatant demagogue who can speak by the hour, and choosing instead men of character and ability, there would be hoj;e that the deterioration iioav proceeding would be stayed, and the Parliament of NeAv Zealand might in time resume the high position it formerly held.