DIRECT LEGISLATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12534, 22 June 1901, Page 3

DIRECT LEGISLATION.

' TO THE EDITOR. . Six, —To sweep away monopoly, corruption and fraud, and to prevent political tricksters (from making laws contrary to public opinion, the electors of New Zealand should demand the right to vote “yes” or “ no ” on every law bj' which they are to be governed. Without direct legislation it is absurd to suppose that any people are self-governing. (People who vote for the monopolists get monopolistic rule, and by so voting curtail their own freedom. I wish' to point out here as I have frequently done in the United States, that “representative government” is a farce and a delusion, and it is about time the people of this country took the, government-making power out of the hands of their so-called representatives and placed it in the hands of ithe masses, where it rightfully beiiorgs. While it is tore, figuratively, that the government of New Zealand and* of the United States is of the people, by the people, still the fact remains that through, a system of “representation” the aristocratic classes axe enabled to rule the masses through bribery and corruption Of officials high in the 'Government. It is necessary that the people themselves, shall capture the machinery of goverrment, the same to be conducted by direct legislation. Which cf the many phases of direct legislation would be most useful could only be demonstrated by actual experiment, but the measure known as the Initiative and Referendum seems to place the most absolute power in the hands of the people. * No office-holder is bound to regard the wishes of his constituents or party under the present system of representation, and the legislators of New Zealand, wmlst favouring the “masses” in, one direction are swindling them in another, as the present system of indirect taxation and other specks of Parliamentary dodgery wit show. The working classes (throughout the British Empire bear the largest share of the burden of government (although there are idiots can’t see it), and if a system of direct taxation were inaugurated by wMch the rich would have to pay-in proportion to their means, the national debt of the Empire could be wiped out in half a year. ■ But, reverting to the initiative and referendum, under this measure would be embodied the imperative mandate, which places the power in the hands of the people of removing from office any man who fails to perform the duties he was elected 1 to fulfil. Under the present system of “representative ” government a man may accept office ■ and pledge himself to uphold the principles upon wMch he was elected, and refuse to compromise with any other party or their principles, or sacrifice his principles for personal gain, yet he does frequently turn traitor, and play the double-shuffle, and so long as fraud and bribery can be consummated with impunity so long will men be elected to office who will sell out their party andl principles. The imperative mandate meets tMs evil, and offers relief, because the office-holder, knowing that the tenure of bis office depends upon the proper performance of his duty, would hesitate to sell out. Should he do so,'andl assist in passing a law that Worked anyone .a hardship, ondi legislated in the interest of the classes as against the. masses, in addition to losing his, official head, the people, by their power, as incorporated in the initiative and referendum, or by the imperative mandate alone, could force the Legislature to pass laws that were unprejudiced. The opportunity for successful debasement of principles for private gain being removed, it would cease, because of a lack of power, to .further, the scheme. The imperative mandate would force men to perform' the work the people elected them to do, or suffer the removal from their places by the people. Thereby the representatives become the servants of the people, and not their rulers, as is now, the case. Legislators would' have to legislate according to the dictation of the people who elected them; and, by making the officials servants of the people, the cMca-

nery that marks nearly all legislation at present would cease fcq exist. * The opportunity for double-dealing being removed from the legislative bodies, honest men would desire to work for the benefit of the people, instead of their own enrichment, would seek the offices. I do not wish to say that all men who are elected under the present system are dishonest, but the many unjust laws enacted in recent years that favour the few as against the many, lead me to believe that the honest men are far in the minority. That I may live to see all political trickery; iniquity and tyranny, and also' hereditary rank and exclusive privilege swept away for ever is my ardent wish.—-I am, etc., GEORGE H. RAYMOND.