THE PREMIER AT NELSON.

Evening Star, Issue 3435, 24 February 1874, Page 2

THE PREMIER AT NELSON.

At the Nelson banquet, the Hon. Mr Vogel, in replying to the toast of “ The Ministry,” spoke as follows Prom what he had seen in Nelson and in other parts of the Colony, the present Go* vernment stood high in the public esteem, and was eminently popular. He would. ask them, under any system of Government which finds favor with Britans, to whom should belong the real power of the State ? He thought cheir answer would be to the people themselves. After eleven years’, expeuence in the Colonial Legislature, he could say it was not so in this country ; and what was the reason for it? Look at Great Britain at the present moment. A general election of members of Parliament was taking place, and out of the seven hundred members to be elected, he ventured to say that not twenty, not even ten, held a sufficiently distinguished position, by a life-long attention to public affairs, to enable them to show the slightest hesitetion in saying to which party they will give their support. If any of them were to go to his constituency and say that be would not pledge himself to support this side or the other, he would not be elected, as it would be felt that it was endeavoring to take to himself that power wlpch should by right belong to his constituent, florae very few distinguished men might venture to adopt an independent line, out It‘ is recognised that independent membership means the taking from peqple tqe power of deciding by what Ministry they should be governed and placing it in tfcq power of individuals who might be influenced by a thousand caprices for which there was no accounting. In this Colony a man comes to a constituency and says, “ I mean to sup* port measures and not men. So long as every action of the Government now in power meets with my approval I shall support them, but I will not bind myself to vote with them on all occasions.” When he gets into the atmosphere of the Parliament House a hundred different influences are at work, and be turns qp hjs speech to his constituents, finds that he has reserved to himself the rigfcc to vote with or against the Government ss‘ bp thinks best, and exercises that right—thus taking out of (be hands of those by whom he was elected the power they should possess of saying under which Ministry they wish to remain. Everywhere else a Ministry goes to the country when they consider themselve justified in so doing; but it is not so in New Zealand, and a Government sometimes goes out of office on a question which really does not greatly affect the people. But the people alone are to blame for this, for they have, by sanctioning such proceedings as he referred to, voluntarily deprived themselves of the power of deciding. Let them place themselves in the position of a hard work™! Minister, and here a Minister worked, especially during the session, when work is done m three months that in other couhtnes occupies six, and they would see the difficulties he has to contend against. 1 he system of government by telegraph was gradually growing A telegram comes in trom a certain district in the morning, and a reply is expected m the afternoon, whereas the question may be one that requires much consideration. Agaih, Ministers think they may arrange the details ©fieri tain measures ; a member' whom they uad good reasons to look upon as a’ legitimate

supporter comes and says, •• Ob, I don’t like this measure, von have the word ‘ whereas ’ here instead of ‘ hereafter,’ and I mmt vote against you.” Then the whips are always at work, and they go perhaps to some vain member who naff not pledged himself to support the Ministry any longer than he pleased, but who perhaps had hitherto aliT wi. vo f them, and they say, What, havn’t yen heard what i? going to be done? Havn’t yon been consulted? Really the Government are behaving very badly to you in nob asking your opinion. ” And the vain member does what is wanted of him He gets offended, goes to the Government, and says, “ I do not consider that I have been treated with proper respect in this matter; I shall vote against you. This was far from being a desirable state of things. There were difficulties in the way'of a newly-elected Minister appealing to his constituents. In accordance with every theory of Government by the people, a man should always, upon accepting so high an office under the Crown, place his resignation in the bands of the Speaker and go to bis constituents for re-election. It surely was not humiliating for men in New Zealand to declare their colors when everyone seeking a seat in the English Parliament does it, and indeed would deem it beneath him not to do so. He was speaking in the face of the fact that in eighteen months there would he a general election, and he (Mr Vogel) would say to the people of New Zealand that they should be most careful in retaining in their own hands the power of deciding to what Ministry they would entrust their affairs. He warned them against being caught by any such shallow platitudes as independent membership, and recommended them to jook carefully to what should be the very basis of constitutional Government, and not to part with a power to which they alone are entitled.