OUR PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATIVES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9539, 4 December 1889, Page 3

OUR PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATIVES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I was present on Thursday night; at Mr. Monk's meeting ab Devonport, and was much struck with the truth of thab gentleman's strong censure of the present/ representatives for their utter want of patriotic spirit. All they thought of was selfish greed—selfish interests underlaid everything. The Government would do anything to remain in office, and all the rest of the members were striving to pub out tho Government in order to geb in themselves. .The country's welfare was of no moment whatever—and this is what representative Government has come to in this colony ! Tho fact is," the general public have been too careless as to who should be elected to Parliament, so that a lob of needy adventurers have elbowed their way into the House, keeping out good men, and gusting everybody with their time-serving propensities. Only 25 out of the whole House, lam told, pay the property tax— that the Premier himself does nob pay it. Hence we see this fixed determination on the part of the majority of members to continue this vicious tax, to extract the last drop of blood from their brothers, and so long as they can escape 6cot free ib is looked upon as a beautiful way of raising taxation. As a remedy for this state of things I should strongly recommend electors, before next dissolution takes place, should form themselves into committees and nominate goo.i and true men to come forward as members. It should not be left for fellows who have just cleared the Bankruptcy Court, or people who have just effected a compromise with their creditors for a few shillings in the pound, to put themselves forward against honest men who have always paid their way, and by living well within their means always mean to pay their debts. 16 should be a strong point with these selection committees thab all persons who are known as above, or others who are in an impecunious position, should nob be eligible for election, for such is the magic sway which the Government in power hold over such that they can be " worked " at any time to give their vote ab a most critical juncture. Hence we have the fearful state of misgovernmenb in this country—as was stated the other day, the most villanouslygoverned country in the world.—l am, etc., Elector.