PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 19 January 1901, Page 4

PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

The Secretary of the above association having its head quarters at Christchurch sends us the following manifesto :—• During the seven years of its existence the Progressive Liberal Association has occupied a unique position among political organisations, in that it has not allied itself to any political party. The original founders of the Association, being fully alive to the many evils arising from the party system of government, resolved to Ignore all Parties. and to support proposals for reform only on their merits. While however, occupying this neutral position, the Association has gladly recognised that the Governpent that has held office since the Association was founded has introduced, pressed forward, and passed into law many beneficial and wide reaching popular reforms that have been and will bo advantageous to the great body of the people. During the whole of this time the Association has seen much to condemn in the administration of the Government, besides, many things, incidental to and inseparable from the party government system, which were undemocratic and improper. Of late, however, these Evils have Grown.

till during the last session of Parliament, the position has become intolerable, and the Association cannot longer refrain from making an emphatic protest against what it holds to be grave political immorality. While loudly extolling the democratic principle of the people’s right to govern, the Premier has over and over again trodden that principle under foot. During the session that has just closed as in other sessions, the head of the Government has outraged the principle representative government by violent Personal Attacks. on members of Parliament who have dared to show some independence and have refused to allow their political principles to be choked by the party gag. The large majority that supported the Government gave unlimited opportunity, if it had been sincere, to pass into law such measures as the Eight Hours Bill, Masters and Apprentices Bill, the Absolute Bill, the Removal of Women’s Bill, and a Fair Rent Bill, some of which have been before the country many years, and several of them the Government had fully pledged themselves to do their utmost to pass into law. Instead of this, the time of Parliament has been consumed by discussing Bills to increase the Salaries and Emoluments.

of the Governor and Ministers of the Crown, measusrs which have never been before the electors, and have not received their sanction or approval; indeed, it is fair to assume that, in some eases at least these large increases would not have been agreed to by the peopl”, had they had an opportunity of expressing an opinion upon them. Further, money has been lavishly voted against the wishes of the people, while on the other hand funds were urgently needed for educational purposes. The Association considers that it is discreditable that our Education Boards should thus be crippled for funds, both for payment of teachers and for the legitimate extension of our education system ; the present grant, notwithstanding the small increase this year, being quite insufficient to place the system on a proper footing. With regard to the

Old Age Pensions we have been told more then once by the Premier that for lack of funds the measure could not be made universal, but that we must practically penalise by depriving of pension those among us who have secured for themselves and their families even a small amount of property. For the same reason the Premier has bemoaned that the amount of the pension, though wretchedly inadequate, could not be increased. Yet, in the face of these protestations of public poverty, he has seen fit to use all his political powers to increase his own salary and the salaries of tho?e associated with him in his political work. These actions do not bespeak a man who has a due appreciation of the positions he holds as treasurer of the people’s parse and managing director of the people’s affairs.

Again, dealing with the work of the past session, the Association desires to place on record its disapproval of the Public Revenues 8.11. This measure was pass d i vi.leutly to enable the Governmcn; 10 over-ride the Auditor-General, so that they c.uld obtain greater power in dealing with the public moneys. The Association considers the check Should have been Removed and that improper use was made by the Government of its majority in passing this Act. The circumstances surrounding and connected with the passing of the £4O grant to members, as sessional allowonce, constitutes, perhaps, the most flagrant instance of Political Jobbery. that has lately occurred. In dealing with this matter, the Association would wish it to be distinctly understood that it is not dealing with the question as to whether the members had earned the amount voted. The D4O honorarium may be too little, or it may not be; that is not the point at issue—the objection is to the way in which the amount was taken. The question of an increase was not before the electors during the late general election, so that the people were not consulted in the matter; and another discreditable feature was the bringing down, and carrying through, of the proposal on the last night of the session, which proceeding could but suggest that the Government were aware of the

Dishonorable Nature of the Action and therefore would baulk any protest that could bo made. The Association is fully alive to the fact that much of what it condemns may be the result of the system of party Government, and it would again here, as it has so often done in the past, advocate the system of an Elective Executive,

believing that the change would, in some degree at least, mitigate the evils we now deplore. Under the existing order, the Government, and in this particular instance the Premier, has so wide a control chat he is able to ignore in great part the wishes of the people. He can introduce measures that suit his purpose, and ho can suppress those he objects to. Again, with the introduction of the Elective Executive, the spectacle of a dominant leader with a servile following would disappear, as no Premier would require such support; in other most important ways, also, this reform would help to secure democratic government, and prevent abuses that now exist. The Association also advocates the Referendum and Initiative as further means of securing more direct government by the people. The principle of the Referendum is that important political questions should be voted upon —yea or nay—by the whole of the electors, thus abolishing the power of any party. Initiative gives power to the electors to demand a vote upon any important proposal for reform. The two working together give power direct to the people to govern themselves, and it is believed would go far to secure a

Purer Democracy. In issuing this protest the Association is aware that an important departure is being made. It, however, considers that the main function of an Association such as it is, is to endeavour to safeguard the interests of democracy by. Exposing and Condemning, all and every kind of political corruption. The Association exists to promote the government of the people by themselves, and if, when the people’s wishes are ignored, their representatives cocrccd, and the public moneys misappropriated, the Association should keep silent, then it would neglect its duty, and would deserve to lose its influence.