Representation in Parliament, TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 21

Representation in Parliament, TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,— lt is very necessary in a civilised country like this that we should have good law£, and that they should be in accordance with the Will of the majority of the people. It seems to me' tht^ our present way of attaining this is roundabout and. groping in the dark. It may have been thq neqt way possible, when there few newspapers and no telegraphs, to elect what were considered the wisest and best men, then to take the result of their cogitations as the will of the majority,! but now, when the press and telegraph make lis acquainted with tli3 doings of pur representatives before many hours, often things come to flight that there must bo doubt about. <

I have voted at elections as they came > round, for 20 or more years, and nearly ajVvays had to vote knowingly for a candidate with some gobemo I did not believe in. Take tho female franchise, for instance. A few noisy people make, a big fuss about it till it is thought popular. At an election two candidates adopt it on that account,' One of them gets in who will say he represents the people on that point, though the election must havq been decided on some other question. Or an elector ia in favour of "Prohibition" and "Bible reading in school." The candidates adopt one', of these each. The elector must choose which of them he will throw to the winds. A member of the ' House of Representatives may also go up to "Wellington with some fad of his own that has not-been before the public. By log-rolling he gets it on tho Statute Book. How could that be called -the will of the people? Of course the Upper House is expected to look after hasty legislation of this kind, but it is much to be feared that the xme'phamber is as big a tinner in misinterpreting the will of the people as the other;— being in favour of '' Bible reading in schools" one year and agfiinet it the next, and against "perpetual leasing" last year probably to be in favour of it this'Bession. Why not have a list of the bills passed by the Lower House submitted for the approval or rejection of electors at the end of each session? This plan, to my mind, would settle every question for a long time. Our M.II.R.'s would still enjoy the annual treat of bear-baiting each other. If it did not make them pass laws according to the will of the people, it would prevent them pawing those that were not. — I am, &c, - Jacobus. Palmerston, August 17.