The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. Published Daily. TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1595. PARLIAMENTARY DECADENCE.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 283, 4 June 1895, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. Published Daily. TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1595. PARLIA ME NT ARY DE CADE NCE .

I There is an idea abroad that Parlia- I mentary institutions aro on the decline I everj where, and in support of that I opinion the Eight Hon O. P. Vilhor*?, I 11 clip father of the House of Com- j mons," is r<-prrted to have said that i " Pailiawient lias somewhat lost credit I v with tho country. It does not .hold

v tho position in men's minds that it " used to do. It has not the 6ame " power. Tho influences outside aro " greater and more developed, and " there aro popular leaders who do not '• find a place in it — I mean leaders on "social questions — and newspapers [ " and organisations of one kind or | '• another are nearly as powerful as " the House of Commons is in the " shaping of opinion. It was not so " in my early days — then Parliament *' was paramount in its education of '* the public mind. The great move " ments nowadays begin outside tho •« House of Commons. They have " origin in the popular mind, and at •« first only find advocacy in small "sections. Governments do not now " start tho great reforms which are •'• required, aud they have, rather, be- " come the instruments, the executors, " tho popular will." The explanation for ihis state of things appears to us be that while the people have advanced rapidly in knowledge since Mr Yiiliers entered Parliauieutarj' lifo, their representatives havo not mado progn ss according to tho same ratio. The average elector now treads close on the heels of bim who was fifty years ago far ahead as regards social position and edrc.ition. In the good old daj's of pocket Boioughs, members of Parliament had but small claims to tho title of "The representatives of the people." Beforo the passing of the Reform Bill in a great number of cases the interests of a Hunted class, th^t of landed proprietors, was the only one represented, the bulk of the people being left hopelessly out of tho calculation. Readers of the history of that truly liberal moasuro will remember tho excitement it created. When the Bill came on for its second reading in the House of Commons (in 1831) thero were 302 votes for and 301 against it— a majority of one Of course the Bill was then abandoned, but next session the second reading was carried by a triumphant majority of I :SG. Th.c House of Lords threw oir the Bill. Rioting eusucd in some districts, and the House of Commons and the Lords at last accepted the position, and tho Bill Locarno law. \V*o may assume safely, then, that while Parliament rr.ny not havo kept pace with tho improvements in the con- j di; ion of tho electors, yet it haa become a more representative body in tho best meaning of tho term.