THE REFERENDUM.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VXIL, Issue 7259, 23 July 1901, Page 2

THE REFERENDUM.

WE venture to say that to a very great number of people in the colony, tha large section for whom, unfortunately, reports of Parliamentary proceedings have little or no interest, unless there be a Ministerial crisis or some keen party fight in view, it will come as a surprise that they are to have a direct vote on definite legislative proposals, Whether they will joyfully hail the privilege as an additional political blessing we very much doabt. Experience seems to »how that it ia only at election time, when the element of pugnacity is aroused, that you can get people to vote, and that even an election does not always briog people to the polls. For instance, the voting both at Patea, where bad weather and bad roads may have been some excuse, and at Christchurch, where there could have been no such excuse, the voting was very small in proportion' to the number on the rolls. Then, when there is a local referendum on matters affecting the imposition of burdens, or the method by whioh the rating shall be levied, it is most difficult to get people to vote, and the rule is that issues are decided by a small minority of those entitled to a voice in the decision. Is there any reasonable prospect that more interest will be taken in questions put before the people by the Beferendum ? Or is there any likelihood that voters will take the trouble to go closely into the pros and cons of a question so that they may be able to yive a well informed vote ? If the Beferendum ia to be frequently used, it will be a nuisance, and a very expensive expedient, in the nature of using a nasmyth hammer for cracking nuts, but if it is to be reserved for questions of large importance there will be something to be said for it in principle, though practically it may not work so well as the old British practice of dissolving Parliament and fighting the election on a single issue. But as to these "fads," which to-day are the rage, it seems that the only thing to be done is to " let 'em all come." In the evidence taken by the Federation Commission an Australian witness observed that the New Zealand legislation sometimes surprised them and often amused them. A few years hence New Zealanders themselves will see the comic side of much that is now being done by our Parliamentarians.