CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VIII, Issue 1373, 31 July 1886, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not- hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by oar correspondents. To ensure publication, however, it will be necessary for writers to avoid personalities.

WHY WE SHOULD NOT RETURN A PARTY LEADER AS A MEMBER.

To the Editor of the Star.

Sir, — I have constantly heard people of intelligence, and whose opinions are entitled to respect, saying that any scheme of importance to the district — such, for instance, as "Mr. Felix McJuire's scheme" for the taking over b7 the colony the New Plymouth harbor works and liabilities — must fail unless the district; be represented by some Great Parliamentary Leader, such as our present member. They say — and no doubt with some show of reason — that a leader who has led his party ou to victory must, wheu his party are in power, possess more influence than tho rank nnd file. Now, tins supposed influence is more imaginary than real, as a little consideration will show. It is only necessary to run over the nameß of the members of our Parliament to at once recognise that it is composed ol a number of men of the ordinary humdrum kind, without auy splendid abilities and without any ambition loftier than to deserve well of their constituents. Let us noc shut our eyes to this fact. Now, aga'iosl the ir>oi»er>ee of l\>est> men the leadei'b influence is :>s nothiug. He can do nothing without th« ir support to make up his majority. He cannot obtain their eupport except by making room on tlio estr_uatO3 for tiie little wants of their constituents. Those private members whose voice is never heard in the chamber, are the men whose influence on behnlf of tbeir constituents i<< irresistible. Should the influence of the great leader's constituents and those oi Ins supporters clash, is it likely that the great leader will sacrifice his constituents, ami thus keep his supporters, or is it likely that 1)6 will stand by his constituents and loss his supporters in the House ? Well, sir, any parliamentary leader who acted upon the latter rul« would not hold oflice very lone, and he iui»ht give up all hope of oflice in the future. Certainly, our present member, " who can show more years of office duiiug his fourteen years of parliamentary life than any other member of tho House," cannot have sacrificed his Fiipportcrs very often in lavor of his constituents, and it would be a marvel if his supporters had been so happy a family that he never had to choose between sacrificing, them and sacrificing his constituents^ Another source of weakness to a greao party leader, especially to one who ha, been so long in office as Major Atkinson is, that every vote on the estimates for his constituents is scanned by tbe " Ar-g\is-o\ec[ Opposition." Tavanabi stinks in the nostrils of Parliament as the great greedy monster living in the Bbades of Mount .Eginont. It is not because tho public money spent in the provincial district is larger than it should have been, but because we have bad the misfortune to be represented by a great Parliamentary leader, whose every act i 9 subject to the microscopic criticism of a vigilant Opposition. What a private member could get. done without comment would raijß a storm of criticism aud abuse, if obtained by a Parliamentary leader. The curso of this district has been tbe political status of our member, and we have enjoyed quite long enough the glory of being represented by him. It is, therefore, time this outlying and neglected d ; stnct, if it is to have any chance at all, should be represented by .i more useful, though he be a more humble member. — I am, &c.

Eg mo N'T

Hawera, July 29.