ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIV, Issue 10703, 12 July 1895, Page 4

ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE.

The House of Kepresenfcatives has, by a eomewbat larger vote than that recorded last year, declined to pass the second reading of j&lajor Steward’s Elective Executive Bill. That it should do so without again debating the principle of the measure was natural. A Parliament cannot be expected to show a sudden change of front, even when urged thereto by outside opinion, and a silent vote is often most becoming on the part of individual members. Thera is no ground, however, for discouragement in the fact that the . majority against the measure has increased by two since last year. What is much more to the point is that fourteen more members recorded their votes this session than did soayearago. This shows a growing appreciation of the importance of the question. Including pairs, sixty-eight members placed on record their opinion of the principle involved, and after allowing for the Speaker, the vacant Auckland seat and two members absent on leave, we find that only two representatives can be classed as abstontionistn. Clearly, despite the apparent check to

pressing its way into the sphere of practical politics. There were twentyseven votes recorded for the Bill afe yesterday’s sitting against twentyone in the preceding session, ana an analysis of the division lists shows, at least partially, how this gain is made up. Messrs Joyce and J. W. Kelly are aSeflisttf converts, for whereas they voted with the “ Noeslast year, they were this year found in the “ Aye ” lobby, making a difference of four on division. Again, Messrs Larnach* Mitchelson and Wilson, who neither voted nor paired a year ago, voted with the " Ayes ” in yesterday’s division. But, on the other hand, Mr Maslin haa reversed his attitude by this year voting against a measure in favour of which he paired last session. A closer approximation to the cleavage in the House on the question of elective Executive may be obtained by, including the pairs, which last year numbered seven against three this year. The votes and pairs for the ayes this year were thirty, against twenty-eight last year, while the votes and pairs for the noes were thirtyeight and thirty-four. On the respective divisions, this shows the supporters of the Bill to have been increased by twd, while its opponents have had an accession of four. If this is accepted as a fair indication of how the waverers or abstentionists are likely to decide, there is little hope of the present Parliament passing the Elective Executive Bill. The soundness of the principle of the measure is, however, being _ more widely recognised in the country, and after the next general election we may expect to find Parliament more in accord with public sentiment oa the subject.