The Te Puke Times TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1921

Te Puke Times, 14 June 1921, Page 2

The Te Puke Times TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1921

Members of Parliament who were elected in jhe year 1911 will read with mingled feelings the opinion of that* distinguished Englishman and famous litterateur, Lord Bryce, of the New Zealand House of Representatives as published in his work “Modern Democracies/' Lord Bryce, it will be remembered, made a tour of the Dominions after resigning the post of British Ambassador at Washingtou in 1913 Here are his comments “ The New Zealand House of Representatives is in one sense too representative, for its members are little above the average of their electors in knowledge or ability. The Assemhfly is left to persons fivesixths of whom do not rise above the level of the town councillors of an English town. The standard, not only of attainments, but of debates and Planners also, leaves something to be desired. Thinking bears a low ratio tc talking. There is certainly whal one may call a sort of commonness, -a want of that elevation and dignity which ought to raise above their ordinary level those who administer the of i self-governing community with i great future, and this lowers the moral influence of Parliament upon the communitv itself."