The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1884. Political Education

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 8, 19 January 1884, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1884. Political Education

"O If there is one thing more than another in which the people of New Zealand is lacking it is political education. This is not from any want of ability on their part, and can only be ascribed to tho system of Government, which has obtained for so many years, by a continuous Ministry. Fleetors have got into tbe habit of choosing one man for a number cf sessions to represent them, and then suddenly dropping their onetime favorite, and taking up another in his place, with whom in turn they are apt to get disgusted after a brief season, when they return to their " old love." They are not too exacting in their demands on members. A coat of paint on a public building will satisfy one constituency, while another is made happy by the erection of a police barracks ; yet another is treated with contempt by their member, and be is probably liked and respected far beyond the others. When Sir Geo. Grey made his great advent into the political arena, hopes were entertained by many that the great mass of the electors was about to be politically educated ; also, that they themselves would be the great teachers. For a while everything promised well in this direction. Men seemed to take an interest in public matters, and showed a determination in many cases to really act up to their new convictions. The feeling soon died out, however, when men found that the Grey policy was no policy at all, while the selfesteem of the multitude was deeply wounded when Sir George likened them to " down-trodden serfs." Since that time, when the commercial credit of the Colony was so near ruin, and when it was saved by the prudence and wisdom displayed by the members of the Hall Ministry, politics have been utterly neglected on all sides. The members of the present Ministry hold their constituents too much in contempt to take them into their confidence by giving public addresses. And the people hold the other faction so cheaply that they would hardly listen to' them if they proposed to give instruction in a matter with wbich they past actions have proved them to be so utterly ignorant, The rule *«• Measures, not men " is reversed in New Zealand. The men first and the measures to follow* This is quite natural and proper, because from, Bo to 40 ceint. of the members of a new Parhameni strange to politics. may

think they have opinions on many subjects, but they find, invariably, these have to be modified and altered until their original form is almost entirely unrecognisable after a few days or weeks sitting in the House. Collectively they have only those views that are served out to them by their leaders. These are accepted for a little time, when, the feeling of astonishment at finding themselves to be legislators having worn off a- little, and having become acquainted with the forms of the House, they begin to show symptoms of restiveness, or the desire to throw off the trammelling control of a leader, and to open up new lines for themselves. As a rule they make a fiasco, to their own temporary shame and the disgust of their constituents, the reason is plain enough: They are politically ignorant. No opportunity lias ever been made by them to instruct themselves in the past history of the Colony, or the men or events that created that history. Nor do they realise for a moment that as legislators they are making history The dry rot in the system is indijference. It is too true that if anyone will take the trouble to pick up the veins of Government and hold them with a strong hand, very few of the other representatives have sufficient political knowledge to more than attempt to organise and control a party, or the tact necessary to lead an undisciplined body of men against even a handful of foes who are determined and united. Before any change can be effected or " parties," properly so called, exist in the Colony, the people must be shown that there is a necessity for such a division. All that the electors now believe is that the struggle is for the power and patronage which is given by the seats on the Treasury Benches — not to gratify an honorable ambition by governing the country wisely and with economy.