Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1881. "MEASURES, NOT MEN,"

Tuapeka Times, Volume XIV, Issue 763, 17 August 1881, Page 2

Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1881. "MEASURES, NOT MEN,"

Me W.A. Mukray, th 6 member for Bruce, is a genius rather of the erratic order, and has ever been great in theories financial and otherwise ; consequently, whatever he may propose is rather apt to be dismissed with a jest than received with the consideration, of which on intrinsic merit, it might be worthy. On the 26th July, the hon. gentleman moved for leave to introduce a Bill to regulate the duration of Parliaments, to come into force after the dissolution of the present Parliament. Although the provisions of the proposed measure were not 'known, Bills as a rule not being pi in ted until they have been reid a first time, an attempt was made to prevent the introduction, which was, however, carried on a division by 38 to 34, and the small wits of the House attempted to make merry at the expense of the promoter and those vho supported him. The Press, of cotrse, followed suit, and the " funny mm " of the " Otago Daily Times " devoted one of the labored effusions with which he is wont to delight the gromdlings of Dunedin every Saturday,' t) the annihilation of Mr J. C. Brown, because our representative, in speaking to the question, ventured to express an opinion that the present system of Representation is not the perfection of wisdom, and frequently results in constituencies being for years nominally represented by members whose politics and character are generally condemned. It is very kind of our Dunedin contemporary to take such an interest in the political represeniation of this district, but " Civis," whoever he may be, had better look closer at home, the "members for the city might afford butts for his pointless shafts. The Bill was to have been brought forward for the second reading a fortnight ago, but will probably be discussed to-day. We do not anticipate, that it will pass this stage, but the "ideas embodied, of a startlingly novel character, are likely in some respects to commend themselves to public opinion. The Bill is entitled "The Duration of Parliaments Bill," but this appears to us rather a misnomer, and does not properly express the character of the measure, which purports to revolutionise the whole system of Parliamentary elections, and in a great degree alter the relations between constituencies and their representatives. ' Mr Murray proposes that Parliaments shall have no fixed duration, but shall be dissolved upon the resolution to that effect of a clear majority of the whole of the members of the House of Eepresentatives. The Ministry of the day would thus, presuming that they commanded a clear majority of the House, be able to appeal to the country whenever they thought it desirable to do so, without the necessity of obtaining the sanction of the Governor. As the right of dissolution is theoretically a sroyal prerogative, an Act entirely abolishing such prerogative would not, we think, be very likely to receive Her Majesty's assent ; but giving the House authority to effect its own " happy despatch " would not be a bad way of avoiding not infrequent Constitutional difficulties in Colonies enjoying representative institutions. Whilst under such an arrangement it would no doubt be possible for Parliaments to have a lengthy existence, the Bill provides that the electors shall have specific power to rid themselves at any time of representatives whose conduct is not satisfactory. If after the cldseof any session a petition signed by at least one-fourth of the electors in any district, setting forth ; that the member for such district " does not truly represent the constituency, and praying for an enquiry with the view to the seat of such member being declared vacant," shall be filed with the Registrar of the Supreme Court, it is provided that an enquiry shall taks place before a judge, who is " to receive evidence for or against the authenticity of the petition," and of any counter petition which may have been filed, and if he shall find that a "greater number of authentic attested , signatures are attached to the petition 'than to the counter petition, he shall forward a certificate to that effect to the Governor, who shall forthwith, if Parliament be not in session, intimate to the member and advertise in the New Zealand ' Gazette ' that the seat of such member is vacant, and shall issue writs for a new election. We are inclined to the opinion that this is a very admirable provision, which , might well be erabodied, in the existing electoral laws. Flagrant cases are familiar to us in Otago, where members who have altogether forfeited confidence, and have even notoriously disgraced their constituencies by their conduct in the House, have retained their seats. In very numerous cases, all over the

Colony, members elected on one set o£. principles have in their first session B wallowed sui'h principles without com. pnnctioii; the motives being often as conspicuous us disgraceful. The proposition of Sir Murray would effectually pub a stop to this state of things and should approve itself to all who desire to see the relations betweetf constituencies and their representatives intimate and honest. There was a pood deal of sound sense in what Mr Brown said on the occasion of the introduction of the Bill, when he declared the opinion " that at any time, upon the requisition of say one-third of tlie electors, any member should resign, provided that no counter petition, containing a larger number of signatures, wa3 presented in opposition to the resignation. They had heard a great deal said in the House about the purity of the Parliament. He thought the shorter the duration of Parliaments was, the better it would be in that respect ! "