DIRECT LEGISLATION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 3 December 1901, Page 4

DIRECT LEGISLATION.

—oto “ {To the Editor,)

Sta,—To sweep away monoply, corruption and fr&Ud, and to prevent political tricksters from making laws contrary to public opinion, and the electors of New Zealand should demand the right to vote “ yes ’’ or “ no ” on every law by which they are to be governed. Without direct legislation it is absurd to suppose that any people are self-governing. People who vote for the monopolists get monopolistic rule, and by so voting curtail thti; own freedom. I wish to point out here as I have frequently done in the United States that “ representative government ” is a farce and a delusion, and it is about time the people of New Zealand ;ook the government making power out of the hands of their so-called representatives and place it in the hands of the,masses, where it rightfully belongs. While it is true figuratively, that the government of New Zealand and of the Utiited States is of the people, by the people, still the fact remains that through a system of representation the aristocratic classes are enabled to rule the masses through bribery and corruption, of officials high in the Government. It is necessary that the people themselves shall capture the machinery of government, the same to be conducted by direct legislation. Which of the many phases of direct legislation would be most useful could only be demonstrated by actual experiment, but the embasure known asjthe Initiative and Beferendum seems to place the most absolute power in the hands of the people. No office-holder is bound to regard the wisher of his constituents or party under the present system of representation, and the legislators of New Zealand Whilst favouring the “masses” in one direction are swindling them in another, Us the present system of indirect taxation and other species of Parliamentary dodgery will show. The working classes throughout the British Empire bear the largest share of burden of Government (although there are idiots who cant see it), and if a system of direot taxation were inaugurated by which the rich would have to pay in proportion to their means, the national debt of the Empire could be wiped out in half a year, But, reverting to the initiative and referendum, under this measure would be embodied the imperative mandate, which places the power in the hands of the people of removing from office any man who fails to perform the duties he was elected to fulfil. Under the present system of “ representative ” government a man may accept office and pledge himself to uphold the principles upon which he was elected, and refuse to compromise with any other party or their principles, or sacrifice his principles for personal gain yet he does frequently turn traitor, aha play the double-shuflle, and so long ns fraud and bribery can be consummated with impunity so long will men be elected to office who will sell out their party and principles. The imperative mandate meets this evil, and offers relief, because the office-holder, knowing, that the tenure of his office depends upon the proper performance of his duty, would hesitate to sell out. Should he do so, and assist in passing a law that worked anyone a hardship, and legislated in the interest of the classes as against the masses, in additian to losing his official head, the people, by their power, as incorporated ;in the initiative and referendum or by the imperative mandate alone, could force the Legislature to pass laws that were unprejudiced. The opportunity for successful debasement of principles for private gain being removed, it would cease, because of a lack of power to further the scheme, The imperative mandate would force men to perform the work the people elected them to do, or suffer the removal from their places by the people. Thereby the representatives become the servants of the people, and not their rulers, as is now the case. Legislators would have t) legislate according to the dictation of ths people who elected them ; and, by making the officials servants of the people, the chicanery that marks nearly ail legislation at present would cease to exist. The opportunity for double-dealing being removed from the legislative bodies, honest men who desired to work for the benefit of the people, instead of their own enrichment, would seek the offices. Ido not wish to say that all men who are elected under the present system are dishonest, but the many unjust laws enacted in recent years that favor the few as against the many, lead me to believe that the honest men are far in the minority. That I may live to see all political trickery, iniquity and tyranny, and also hereditary rank and exclusive privilege swept away for ever is my ardent wish, —I am, etc.,

George H. Eatmohd. Botanic Practitioner of medicine.