PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12621, 2 October 1901, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.

It is many years since the Estimates were so carefully investigated and so thoroughly discussed as 'they appear to be this year. The Government has been called upon to furnish an unusual amount of information concerning the admimistotion of various Departments, and so far has thoroughly justified its ways of doing business. Bub we are not concerned at present so much with, the justification of the Government as with the sensible manner in which Parliament is doing its work. The collapse of the Opposition, as we anticipated, has compelled members.. of the Liberal Party to take up the work of criticisro, and! in place of the •eld! tussle for supremacy between Government and Opposition, the House is devoting itself to the Wne and sober discussion cf the subjects before it. To all intents and purposes we-have temporarily abolished party government, ancl the country is obtaining .an excellent lesson in the advantages cf the non-party system. The "Evening Post," in its independent style, congratulates the country on the change, regarding it as a. revolt against.Mr Seddon's autocracy. We' 1 do not share our contemporary's ; distrust of the Liberal Government, but there is no need to quarrel on. that score. On the main point, it seems> we are agreed. The party system is obviously not the best method of government, and there is wo reason that we know of why it shiould not be permanently abolished. Year after year we have seen information denied the country because the Opposition attempted to force it from, the Government. Trivial question's have been magnified till they involved the existence of the Government, and important details have been left to look after themselves, while the opposing parties spent valuable hours wrangling over a trifle. . Time enough has been wasted this session, but the work has been, done at reasonable hours, and, on tho whole., in a reasonable manner, and we believe that Parliament need never return to the bad old way. When there is .no doubt concerning the supremacy of one party members are at liberty to exercise their consciences, and it Would be far better if all possibility of conflict between duty to the country and duty.to party were abolished. There would be no necessity for the party pledge if we had a.n elected Ministry, a.nd the people should seize the present opportunity of carrying this important reform. So long as the party system is continued the present lapse into sobriety and sanity in Parliamentary methods can be only temporary, and- it would turely be wise to make the reform a permanent one by -abolishing the iniquitous original cause of bad' legislation and bad administration.