LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1874, 7 October 1913, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

® A RETURN TO PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENTS. Sir, —About 45 years , ago New Zealand had eight Provincial Houses of Representatives. Thero was 110 one man 0110 vote or women's franchise, also no payment of members. This scheme broke down owing to debt, etc., and 0110 central Government was instituted in 1870 or thereabout. This present central Government, having authority over a country 1000 miles in length, Is proving a failure. If Now Zealand were divided up into foujStates, with a one-Chamber Legislature for each, more efficient laws adaptable to local conditions would bo tho result: also log-rolling and other scandals or tho past would bo impossible. _ _ I travelled from California to British Columbia, a distance of 1000 miles (which is' a.bout the length of .New Zealand), and discovered that in that distance there wore four Houses of Representatives, viz., at Sacramento, State capital of California; at Salem, State capital of Oregon; at State capital of Washington; and at Victoria, fcapital of British Columbia. Canada has seven Provincial Parliaments, and five of the above Legislatures havo only one Chamber each. Of course there is a Dominion Parliament over all. Canada's population is about 6,000,000. I appeal to New Zealanders to study this question, as tho time seems ripe to malco a change or tho decentralising of the present central authority with its present antiquated Upper House system. If, then, this country were divided up into four States, each with a Legislature of one Chambor (and there is a- start made now, for has not each province a Town Board and Education Board' at present?). Then a Federal House could bo elected to deal with national questions. The exposures mado and waste of public money disclosed makes ono feel that to save Now Zealand from our creditors and professional legislators is to form a National Party oT New Zealamlers, pledged _to economy and reform of the Constitution on above lines.—l am, eto., SAMUEL PEARSON. 253 Cuba Street, Wellington. October 3, 1913. P.S. —The Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, and little Tasmania can support Legislatures of their own, but our two islands can only run one.