QUALIFICATIONS FOR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 169, 6 April 1918, Page 7

QUALIFICATIONS FOR

Sir,—Will you be good enough to grant me space :n your valuable paper in order that I. as one of the community, may. protest against the fact that .men who have served a term of j imprisonment" are allowed to he noroin:nted for. Parliament, and sit in.Par.lament? It seems utterly wrong and ou:. of place that law-breakers skoulc: be placed in a position so hittli and rasponrible as law-makers. If they Me incapable-of keeping the law, c,ri iliev be fit to make laws? In speaking to a number of citizens over this matter they all agreed that it would be highly desirable that this clan's of men should be debarred absolutely, also that if the. ' Government could pass an Act. as soon as possible, it would be something that would give them and many others much satisfaction, and be a good thing for Now Zealand. We want respectable men, not gaol-birds, in our Parliament to represent us. Another matter also is worthy of attention. Men who have very few qualifications for the position of M.P. besides being fluent, ready talkers, are elected. They know very little of "the science "of governing or making laws, they know nothing of political economy ; in fact, the people of New Zealand put them into a position at a salary which they aro not fit for, and which they know very .'little about. 'It is a most unbusinesslike proceeding. A «ood remedy for this would be that all aspirants for the position of M.P. must first pass an examination in political economy,, and .any. other knowledge vital to the ■ successful carrying out of the / work, which they aspire to ,do,. Trusting some abler pen will take these matters up, and bring them under the notice of the powers that be,—l am, ANTI-GAOL-BIRD.