Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, JULY 15, 1901. THE REFERENDUM.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 15 July 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, JULY 15, 1901. THE REFERENDUM.

One of ttiu'pianks of the social platLlcvfai is that of the referendum, or the referring of any vitual question of Government to the direct voice of the people, with or without consulting Parliament. It has certainly one great advantage, and that is the prevention of the system of " deadlock." Should a subject give rise to an expression of opinion in the House, and the position of the parties be so evenly balanced, then that would form a fit occasion for an appeal to the people without resulting to a disso!ution of Parliament. On the other hand it would be a terrible weapon in the power of an unscrupulous but popular Ministry, and might bo used for harm instead of good, and could be wielded as a threat to a well-meaning conscientious Opposition. The first time the referendum was brought into play in the Australian Colonies was over the question of Federation, when the people by an overpowering vote declared in favor of the new movement. Whether the Co"onies were ripe or not is another matter. The people said it should be so and it was so. The Referendum has been broached several times in New Zealand, but every time the motion relating to its introduction has been defeated. Now there is every probability of its being carried. The Premier last Tuesday moved the second reading of the Referendum Bill which he stated was to provide for certain Bills and legislative proposals being referred to a poll of electors of the colony. Ho said certain questions had often agitated the public mind, and, hitherto, there had been no means of referring them to the people. A case in point at the present time could be quoted, viz., the agitations in connection with the sale of liquor in the King Country, and Bible reading in State schools. This Bill provided the necessary machinery for taking the opinion of the people of the colony like these. The questions of federation and single tax could also be added to the list, and, with regard to the latter, he thought the time was approaching when there would have to be an alteration in the incidence of taxation. At the present time too much was paid by indirect taxation. The removal of disabilities on women was another question it might be necessary refer to to the people. He hoped the House would pass the Bill, and take another step forward in progressive legislation. The Premier's first illustration as to

what the referendum should deal with is hardly worthy of the subject. So far as the South Island is concerned, it is a matter of very little moment whether intoxicating liquor should be sold in the King country or not. It is a matter we rather think that could bo settled by a special Act of Parliament without referring it to a plebiscite of the whole colony. The other subject, that of Bible-reading in schools, is a fair question to ascertain the views of the people as a whole. Again federation and a reform in the incidence of taxation are proper questions for the people to deal with, and it is noticeable that the Premier cares not to risk his popularity on the question of direct versus indirect taxation, and suggests that this should form a scope for the action of the referendum. We believe that the Bill will meet with but little real oppos tion, and that it will pass into law in one course.