PARLIAMENT AND ITS MEMBERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 4, 30 September 1907, Page 6

PARLIAMENT AND ITS MEMBERS.

Sir, —It must bo' gratifying to'the public to find that'tho Press has succeeded, in demonstrating, plainly enough to penetrate even the wits of a member of Parliament, its disapproval of tho way our representatives waste the public time and money. . A few years ago, in my youthful en- ' thusiasm, I was accustomed to think n member must necessarily be a man above his fellows, gifted with more than average ability; a • serious -thinker, absolutely conversant with tho burning questions of the day.- I, did not suppose it possible that any 'other type had a, hope of election. Tho current session dispels such droams. We have seen hour after hour frittered away with frivolous (speeches?), and useless questions. Of tho Wellington mem-, bers, in whom, naturally, oue takes especial interest, thero is ono only who is worth his salt, and ho is a. man usually credited with.being slow, and 'conservative. But 1 confess, with a certain amount of sorrow' for previous misjudgmcnt, that ho takts a sane and honest stand on every. _ matter that comes up for consideration. It is absolutely certain that one half of. the sitting members will be heaved out with a big thud, at the next elections. The most important Bill of the session deals with questions I am conversant, with, and tho crass ignorance of most members regarding these questions was to mo amazing, and I must bo forgiven for assuming that their knowledge of other matters is equally crude.

It is to he hoped tho public will not forgot tho lessons of the' session. ,Wrmust ignominiously hurl out the timeservers —thcro are plenty of them — those who loaf and lounge in th( lobbies niid at Bellamy's when important measures are being discussed slid rush in at tho sound of the hell md vote they caro not how. Tin 'act is there are few members of ql>:l----ry to make themselves felt, and tint ••• Hie root of the matter. What i' lie use of a professional talker if h'•.'.s no honest conviction behind him: j.-t tho electors be up and doing, and termine to have a set of men to rr•ivscnt them who reflect the intetlifof our land, and r.ot bo mir.lc' (there is no other name for them' :.'!'e "talkers."—l am, etc., ELECTOR, September 27, 1007;