RESIGNATION OF THE SENIOR MEMBER.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3785, 6 July 1899, Page 5

RESIGNATION OF THE SENIOR MEMBER.

Mr John Hutcheson’s dramatic resignation of his seat in the House of Representatives is on the face of it an appeal to Ciesar. Having failed to impress upon the people’s representatives his view of the marine scandal,” the senior member ior the city has evidently resolved to carry the matter before the people themselves. It his only intention had been to set himself right with his constituents, lie would have resigned long ago, as wo have contended it was his duty to do when ho found that he could not satisfy his conscience and keep his election pledges. By (he time and manner of his resignation he has confessed that personal pifjuo and political antagonism are more powerful motives with him than conscientious conviction and duty to the electors. Had ho resigned before the division on the no-confidence motion took place, ho could have preserved a decent shew of being animated by a desire to .maintain his consistency and avoid violence to cither his conscience oii his idedge. By voting against the Government he broke bis distinct pledge, made at the time of his election and repeated from the public platform a few weeks ago. Ho deliberately chose, that is to say, to record a hostile vote and then to resign in a way calculated to inflict the maximum of injury upon tho Government. These I acts favour tho presumption wc have stated—that political antagonism is the moving cause of Mr Hutcheson's action.

It must bo admitted, however, that Mi- Hutcheson lias done emphatically the right thing, though ho has done it in the wrong way and at the wrong time. A lew mouths woidd have seen the Parliament dissolved, and in these circumstances it is doubtful whether a member is warranted in putting the ©lectors to the trouble and the country to the expense of a by-election. During the next month Wellington will be plunged ipto, the heat of electioneering turmoil, which will practically continue unbroken till after the general election in December next—and all for what? Simply that Mr Hutcheson may, a few months in advance, have a verdict of approval or disapproval of his actions in the'House. The attempt to have a re-trial of the “marine scandal” at the hustings, at the time that the Royal Commission wilLbe investigating the matter, savours of discourtesy to the Governor, under whose orders the formal inquiry is to take place. .Probably, however, that consideration will have little weight with,Mr .Hutcheson Or his supporters. In a democracy such as that of New Zealand, the “sovereign people” insist upon their supremacy and upon their right to decide all matters by ballot. There seems every probability that Mr Hutcheson will bo re-elected. It is doubtless his .intention- to seek the suffrages of the electors, as ho said at his recent meeting he would do, as an Independent Liberal. In such case, the Government may decide not to “run” any candidate against him, with a, view to placing the election on a purely personal footing as between the senior member and his constituents. Without Government “backing’,’.no other Liberal candidate. is likely to enter the field oh the barren prospect of sitting for two months; and as the Opposition will not contest the seat, Mr Hutcheson may simply “walk over” and resume his place in the House, with conscience salved and “amour propre” satisfied. W© may bo sure that it was not to achieve such results that the dramatic “coup” was planned, and it may bo expected that every effort will be put forth to taunt the Government into making the election a trial of strength. In the event of a contest the personal equation will determine the result. If the people of Wellington have still confidence in Mr Hutcheson’s probity, capacity and faithfulness as a representative, they will return him ; if that confidence is shaken they will discard him, even in favour of an inferior man in other respects. As a ride, the democracy is exacting in the matter of adherence to pledges. It remains to be seen whether Mr Hutcheson will satisfy the Wcllingtou electors either that his course has been a true one, or f that zeal for the public interest alone was the cause of several serious deviations.