The Star. TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1808.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 76, 11 August 1868, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1808.

'iPtrnuo Attention haa boon called to a novel niodo of what' may bo termed w nupplomon Ini'y roprcHon tation," which fenn laloly como in vogue, On a rouont oeeaaion Mr Yogel called tho noiieo of 4ho Houno of llopreHohtnfcivcfl to n nubJoet whieb ho considered ofsomo "Con* Dtitulionnl importivnco," He Alluded ta tho growing practice of conHfcituoncaoa Bonding up "dclegafcea" who had

duties to perform of whioh honourable mombors woro not aware of, And ho nslcod tho Houso to couaidor whothor ifc wns not a branch of privilogo for oonHtitnoneioa to bojkl up to Wellington certain pomms for no other purpouo tlinn to watch tho procoodinga of certain momboi'H and to report thetn to their constituontn. Wo may horo mention thai; tho prnctico ol' Bonding up dologafcoa to watcli nnd roporb upon Iho acta of momborn ia of quito recant origin. Wo boliovo wo aro right iv saying that it commenced only laflt session, and waa originated by tbo pooplo of Timaru, who wont up Mr Morton, tbo publisher of tho 'Hnumt TlemU, to look aftor tlio lion, moniboro for tho Timnru and Gliulatono distriota, and ace thai; thoy, obtained all tho advanfcngOH for tlio district which a willing Ministry woro abio to grant. Tlio resulta 'of Mr Hoi'ton's iniMnion havo beon considered bo satisfactory that; tho praotico has uot only boon repeated ut Timaru bub copiod ab Oamnrti and olsowhoro till tlio prosonoo ot "dole gates" has becomo an obtrinivo fact which has roused tbo suspicions atul nggravafcod tbo tom por ol Mr Vogol and othor membora. We cannot agroo with tho lino of argument adopted by Mi* Vogol, nor can wo sco how tbo prosonco of dologatos at Wellington can bo construed into a- broach of privilogo. Tbo oxisbonco of theso gontlomon iv tho capacity of dotoobivos scorns to ub to bo tlio natural consequence of tho policy of tbo G-ovornmont of tho day. Mr Stafford says to tbo outlying dinIriets, " I cannot publicly announce wbat I will do for you, tbo Mouse might nob ondorao my viows, bub if you agitato and wait, and watch your opportunity, 1 will support your momboi'H in any application tbey inny mako on your bohalf. If you want to bo mado n, county, or to aoparato from tbo rcttb ofthe Province, I will help you if I can, bub I must nob talk ot ib." This is thogistof tho Ministerial policy as appliod to tho outlying districts. Secrecy and utealtb aro among ita principal ingrcdientß, Under such a system ib is nob surprising to ilnd a total .want of that perfect brunt and eonddance wbicb in generally supposed to exist between members of Parliament and their consbibiiont.'t, Ib is quite poaalblo (o coneoivo canoi whoro bl\o expectations of tbo pooplo havo beon excited beyond all moderation by tho vnguo promises of bho Miiitotor, 'And ib io equally possible to coneoivo that tho rcproaontiitivoH of thono pooplo may still retain a conscientious desire to serve iho Colony ai a whole, rathor than a particular district. Hcnco it arisen that to guard against awkward eventualities, the electors of tho outlying district hoikl up delegates to watch thoir momboi'H, and roporb upon thoir conduct;. Wo do uot; fear thab this evil will Hproad far .enough to demand any intoi*feronce on tho part of tbo Loginiiifcnro, Thoro in something in tbo prnctico no repugnant; to the proper portion of a member of Parliament, that wo cannot coneoivo thab any number of gontlomon will long coiiMonb to submit to tlio infliction. It; ha« boon tho pride of incut of tbe able men wiio liave hitherto guided tho destinies of Now Zjalnhd, to bo able to Hay that whilo thoy rop rono n tod their constituents tbey were alwayß left free to oxoroiso thoir judgment perfectly unfotterod by tho trammels of any Bection of tho community. Who can coneoivo Mr Wold, Mr .FilzGorald, or Mr Ward watched from the gallery of tho House, and called to account for their voben by Mr Tom Hall or Mr Stoward ? 'wo think tho man who would havo dared to mako Hticb a proposition to oitlior ofthoßO gentlemen would have roccivod au annwor more forciblo than polite. U<mmimnMmiimttmm*mMomm»mm**t.BimmmimwMmmf**mfmmmmmm'***m*m^^