THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2337, 19 December 1914, Page 14

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Sir, —With due respect to, Sir Joseph Ward's political experience, I would point oitfc that his pronouncement on. tho political situation is somewhat obscure, and altogether unstatesmanlike. Tho hon. gentleman's mind seems to In confused between Parliamentary usages, constitutional necessity, and perhaps personal desire; and wore ho less positivo in his assertion ho would cortainly bo more convincing—to my mind, at lcat. In considering cases of constitutional procedure it is clear that blindly to follow precedent, or prescribed rules, is neither constitutional nor statesmanlike, since these can only servo as examples or guides for those dealing with subsequent difficult positions. Parliamentary procedure—under any form of government, is constitutional only when it expresses; the real desire of tile bulk (if those who come under its operation, unci can in nowise bo considered loigtimato simply because someone had previously acted in a .certain «r jjkat,

rules laid down to aid in the deciding of prospective case's wore blindly followed. If the initiative, resource, and A political ability of our Parliamentarians aro not to be trusted we are in a sad fe case. Sir Josepli Ward also errs in Baying, that the Governor is ■ without j| constitutional advisers, since, as you, || Sir, have pointed out, Mr. Massey is p still the leader of far the biggest party P in the House. Moreover, the people of § this country are at the present mo- 1 ment constitutionally, if not articu- M lately, calling on public men to rise || abovo petty differences, and it :s to be p hoped that His Majesty's Opposition p mil fulfil their true' function and not || be mero obstructionists. —I am, etc., ij JURIST, |