"The House"

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 12, 15 July 1890, Page 2

"The House"

One of the main reasons the people of the colony had for asking the number of Members of Parliament to be reduced was that their Representatives talked too much as regards time, and too little as regards sense. Having that knowledge it is a wonder to us why the members in the last days of an expiring Parliament, do not act upon the broad hint so plainly given them, and talk less. Since the session was opened absolutely nothing has been done in the shape of real work. The debate on the Financial Statement has"" dragged its weary length along" for a fortnight, and promises to spoil any chances of work for this week. Hansard is insufferably dull owing to the fact of so many members " speak*, ing to Buncombe." We had hopes that the debate on Sir George Gbey's Law Practitioners Bill would prove interesting reading, but disappointment was the sole result. It was a matter of difficulty to decide which arguments were the weakest, Sir George's in favor, or those of the members of the profession in the House against the Bill. The same may be said of the speeches made dur ing the debate on the new Electoral Bill, for all those who "delivered themselves"seemed to be singularlyillinformed as to what the Bill was intended to accomplish, or how the several clauses might affect the circumstances of the localities the members represent. It is well known that the reduction of the number of members was a piece of hasty legislature which has since been repented of by those members who voted for the measure, and that a feeling was spreading among the electors to the same effect, which, if encouraged, would have terminated in a demand for the old number to be restored. That expectation has been most effectually destroyed, by the crass folly displayed on both sides of the House, Instead of conciliating the people they are exasperating them, and it is the sincere hope of all reasoning men, who have the welfare of the colony at heart, that the obstructionists and wind-bags, who form such a startling majority in the present House, will be relegated to that obscurity from which it was a crime to drag them. The only way j to do that appears to be by keeping ! down the number, and thus reduce j their chances of being re-elected. It j may be said that by increasing the number of seats, the chances of getting better men would be increased, and with some degree of truth, but in the present state of mind of the people " they wont risk it."