The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1910. THE ABUSE OF PARLIAMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7300, 2 December 1910, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1910. THE ABUSE OF PARLIAMENT

Not many people, we imagine, will dissent from the Attorney-General’s opinion of the verdict that could justly bo passed upon public life in the Dominion by an impartial visitor. Such a one, lie tells ns “might well conclude that our politics of late years were organised noit to promote social progress, but to foster and promote contention, animosities and scandal hunting.” Tills is hardly the whole truth.. Indeed, the Minister might have gone much further and said that one political party has abandoned constructive effort entirely and devotes practically the whole of its energy to' damning our institutions and their administration, to raising alarms ■and creating sensations, and to demonstrating that the rascal-ridden country is rapidly going to the dogs by every available road. Infinitely more time is spent and energy dissipated in wrangling over issues which are in themselves a degradation of public life than in the sober work of statesmanship. " Time, energy, money, -which might so serviceably be devoted to clamant humanitarian effort,” says the Attorney-General, “ are wasted. . . . The true aims of government are embarrassed, sometimes even arrested, by endless and often despicable strife." No ond can dispute this. The facts are notorious,, but we take leave to say that the public would derive very much more satisfaction from being told what remedy is to be applied, and w'hen, than from listening to denunciation, be it ever so spirited. The speech made by Dr. Findlay in the Legislative Council yesterday was in every respect justified, yet it seems to us that unless such a speech as this and the deliverances of the Prime Minister and various members of the House of Representatives on, the previous day are the preludes to some definite action we are to be left exactly in the same position. After all, it is not much : use telling the community that we live under a system which permits the aims of government to be embarrassed, sometimes arrested. The public knows all about that, and in its weariness at the whole wretched business has •: only one question, to those who remind them of its folly. “ What are you going to do about it?”—this is the inquiry which immediately suggests itself at such a moment as this, and it is one which will have to be answered sooner or later. Protest is not going to rescue the Legislature from the strangle hold of the scandal-monger, nor give it relief from the paralysis caused by the, abuse of its processes for gratification of the private vendetta. What Ministers have got to realise is that the whole fabric ot our representative institutions •is altogether abnormal, and that until ire' get a reform which shall alter its entire constitution and character there will be no end to the evils .rather will it beooone intensified with the passing years. - " Descent has been hastened by party disappointments and defeats," says the Attorney-General, Very well. Will there not be party disappointments and defeats in future? Of course, there will—while party is allowed to dominate an arena where national affairs should be dealt with by “steady, scientific, practical - methods.” And in the day of these latter party frustrations are the electors to witness the stupid travesty of a Legislature turned into a cock-pit? We hope not. The outrage against which Dr. Findlay raised an eloquent voice yesterday is made possible only by our perpetuation of an archaic parliamentary system, which places a premium upon obstruction and offers an incentive to mud throwing and abuse. Unless we mend our fences, and quickly, too, it is not improbable that partisan malevolence will take complete possession of the,-field and sessions of Parliament be devoted wholly to brawling and personal altercation. The only comfort to be derived from a prospect such ns this is the reflection that the day cannot be far off when a system which gives such asinine -results shall be tern up bv the roots.