The New Zealand Herald AUCKLAND, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1867. RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. WHAT IS IT?

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1123, 20 June 1867, Page 4

The New Zealand Herald

AUCKLAND, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1867. RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. WHAT IS IT?

SPECTEMUB agendo. " S'y® e?er 7 man thine ear, but few thy voice s Take each man's censure, bat reserve thyjudemmt. This all,—To thine own self be true And It mnst follow, as tho night the day. Thou canat not then t€ false to any man."

The principle of introducing [Responsible Government in provincial matters in Auckland was affirmed by a majority of the

Council on Tuesday. On that occasion, one of the Executive, in reply to a taunt from Mr. Martin, that tho Executive had turned their coats with reference to Responsiblo Government, stated that he was in favour of a real measure hut not in favour of establishing a mere sham. Theso words of Mr. Dignan have suggested to us the consideration, " What is Responsible " Government ?" Is that, which, in the affairs of the Assembly is termed " Responsible Government" really such, or is it a mero sham—such a sham as a conscientious advocate of truo " responsibility" would refuso to voto for in our provincial administration. .Responsible Government means this— that when members talco offico fckey must resign their seats, and again offer themselves to their constituencies for re-elec-tion. This is tho practico in tho British House of Commons, in tho colonies of New South "Wales, of Victoria, and Tasmania also—we apeak so far autlioritavely —and, wo believe, of all tho other colonies. It is not so in tho General Government of New Zealand, but tlio fact that tho practise does not obtain in our Assembly affords no precedent .for such departure from established rule. Tliero is no right on which a departure from such practice can bo established. We havo referred to tho Constitution Act, and find no special clauso which allows members to talco office in tho Ministry without offering themselves to their constituents for re-election. Sinco then, tho Constitution Act provides no exceptional ruling in this matter ; wo must necessarily fall back upon tho practico of tho Houso of Commons, as other colonies havo dono. We write thus in referonce, not only to our provincial administrations, but to that of our General Government likewise. Itis important that this principlo should bo insisted upon. Had it been so insisted upon, would Colonel Haulfcriin, tho member for Franklin, havo been a member of the present Ministry ? We doubt it much—and we say, certainly not as member for an Auckland constituency. We invite tho attention of members of the Ascembly, as well as that of mombers of Council, to tho principle we havo enunciated —a principle which, elsewhere than in New Zealand, wherever Eesponsible Government has been. established, has been fully recognised ; and wo draw also tho attontion of the Superintendent of Auckland to the j subject. By all means let us hate Responsible GoTCrnment, but let us take car© that: we have that which ia really Responsible' Government, and not a mere sham. Nothing short of this will satisfy the public. As regards the practice of the General Government, we leave it with our Auckland members to raise the question in tho next session. Hero is a field for tho member for the Bay..