PARTY GOVERNMENT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 267, 31 July 1918, Page 6

PARTY GOVERNMENT

IS A CHANGE DESIRABLE? FARMERS' UNION DISCUSSION Lust evening tho Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union discussed the question of tho party system of government. Major Lusk (Auckland) moved:— (a) That this conference considers that tho ,time has come when the party system should be superseded by 601H0 form of government calculated to curry more truly into effect, tho " views of the electors, and tending to eliminate from the politics of the Dominion the many evils that have grown up around tile party system, and this conference suggests that the Government be urged to bring in a form of governmont somewhat on the lines of the Swiss Constitution, whereby each member of tho. Cabinet is chosen by a proportional representation vote, and who would consequently l>o elected by a majoritv of the members of Parliament, 'and elected because of his fitness to carry on the work of his particular departs mont,. thus eliminating government by party. (b) And that tho Dominion nnd Provincial Executives take immediate steps in order that the Farmers' Union may enter upon an active campaign to bring the principle before tho eleotors of tho Do-

Major Lusk said that many people in the Old Country had gone into the matter, and they had come to'tho conclusion that the time had arrived when there should bo a change in the system of government by party. In party government one section of the community was not represented on the Treasury benches! Party government meant waste of timo and other evils. One half of Parliament was excluded from using its best brains in the interests of the community. Mr. Wilson, President of America, had given tho subject much consideration, and had come to the conclusion that the Swiss system was the best. This was a system which eliminated tho objectionable spirit of party.- There were instances in New Zealand politics of men having 6unk their .principles because of party. !Party government had been found unsuitable here in times of stress, so surely it could not vbo suited to. other times. With non-party government it would ■ not bo a question of who would run the Treasury benches, or who was going to be Prime Minister, but of finding out who were tho men best qualified to run the country. This whs a good time to consider the matter clekrly, but he was sure they would all agree that a change was desirable, and would be beneficial.

Mr. D. Jonos favoured the retention of the present system. Where could' we get a better system than wo had in the British Empire? Mr. Vavasour: Yes, and they are sick of it.

The president (Sir James Wilson) said there would be difficulty, wifh a non-party systeifi of concentrating views into one policy which could be carried out. Without party, on what grounds would members of Parliament be elected? He was afraid there would be a good denl of room for "log-rolling," and there might be cousiderablo corruption. The chief thing was good administration. It was acknowledged that party government was defective, but the trouble was to replace it with somothing better. He preferred the devil he knew to the devil he did not know.

_ Finally it was decidcd that the executive should go into the question, and then circulate the provincial bodies, who would in turn circulate the branches, so tlmt the representatives could be instructed how to vote 011 the subject at the next conference.