THE SERVILITY OF PARLIAMENT.;

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 864, 9 July 1910, Page 6

THE SERVILITY OF PARLIAMENT.;

Sir, —No doubt many-,who, like myself, follow the Parliamentary discussions will remember that last session., when dealing ..with the. Estimates, the question of thf; State coal mines-was under discussion and Mr. Field moved an amendment in the direction of reducing tho 'amount on tlio Estimates for the said mines by £1, as an indication that the Farmers' Distributing Company, (who had a grievance against the State) should .bo.allowed to bring their case into Court or. have same settled by arbitration. The amendment - was carried, and I understand that th» is tantamount to instructing the Government adopt the; course desired by Mr. Field, but apparently the' wish of Parliament has been ignored by the Cabinet, as nothing has been done. It is evident that this was in the mind .of the Leader of the Opposition when lie moved the following as reported in tho Wellington papers of July I:—"When an item of the Estimates is reduced as an indication to the Government that tile Committee of Supply is of a certain opinion, such reduction shall -be taken as an instruction by tho Executive, and complied with accordingly." ' Bv. 36 votes to 22 this amendment was negatived, which emphasises the servility of a majority of the present Parliament, and demonstrates that the Cabinet are the masters and not tho servants of Parliament, and furthermore that they can comply with or disregard any similar amendment at their own sweet will. The position "ishumiliating both for Parliament and the people.—l am, etc., DEMOCRAT.