MR. NAPIER'S MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11642, 2 May 1901, Page 4

MR. NAPIER'S MEETING.

Even Mr. Napier has been disillusionised, as he explained last night. lie went to Wellington having certain preconceived ideas on Parliamentary Government, based upon the historic theories which teach that a free people make their own laws through their duly elected representatives. He comes before his constituents with the confession that he found Parliamentary Government non-existent in our New Zealand Legislature, its place taken by a Dictatorate which brought its determinations into the House and arbitrarily bade members to approve. Summarised, this is, Mr. Napier's version of his experience, the tale of his disillusionment. We are likely to hear very much more of the political situation within the next lew weeks, although our own colonial business has for long been obscured by the pressing interest of the South African struggle and cannot have a full hearing until after the departure of our Royal visitors. , But Parliament is expected to re- ; assemble at the end of June. Other j of our local representatives will doubtless be meeting their constituents and the country will soon have an opportunity of hearing the explanations of the Premier and opinions from both sides of the House. The feeling is growing strongly that the first political duty of the colony is to put an end to the present dangerous and demoralising tendency towards uncurbed political dictation and to restore Parliament to its natural dignity and rightful authority. This is a reform which cannot easily be accomplished, for we have allowed the existing regime to entrench itself and to wax strong at the public cost. Yet it is the first step towards Reform to know that Reform is imperatively needed, and Mr. Napier's disillusionment is shared, by a large and ever-increas-ing number of voters.