The Globe. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 705, 22 September 1876, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1876.

The representatives of the people in Parliament assembled seem just now to be in a most peculiar mood. No sooner has the prodigal waste of public time and money which has been carried on by an obstructive minority come to end, than hon members at once commenced scrambling amongst themselves for the loaves and fishes. After so much delay had taken place it was only reasonable to suppose that members would have seriously set to work to carry the important public measures rendered necessary by Abolition. Up to the present time scarcely one single step in this direction has been made, and our representatives are squabbling amongst themselves as to the rate of their pay. This was bad enough ; but there yet remained worse to follow. As will be seen by our telegrams, it has been decided that members of the Assembly shall receive free passes over the railways of the colony. Mr Stafford, as will be seen, did not think the motion went far enough, and wished to give hon members free passes by steamers and coaches, and free board and lodging. It seems to us that this motion, though of course intended as satire, had still much truth in it, WLy stop at free passes on railways, or

rather what guarantee have we that members who have shown themselves so ready to vote themselves anything and everything will stop there ? The old stock argument of the desire of hon. members to inspect publicworks—at the expense of the colony—has been revived. We in Canterbury, where the system has been provincially in force, know how much value to attach to this. It ia not too much to assert, that if it could be ascertained, the free passes granted to Provincial Councillors have never been used for such a purpose — while in many instances the privilege has been made available for ordinary business purposes or for pleasure excursions. Beyond this, we have heard of a member of the Provincial Council, who was a candidate at the last general election, using his free pass to go about the country canvassing. In this he had greatly the advantage of his opponent, who, not being a member, had to disburse cash for his fares. Now with these facts before our eyes, it seems to us that nothing will tend more certainly to demoralise our public men than the extending of such a system throughout the colony. The members of the General Assembly are of no different mould to those of the Provincial Council. Therefore there is not the slightest guarantee that the privilege will be more beneficially used for the public good than has been our experience here. Members are prone to talk largely about defending the rights of the people, but what is likely to be the result if matters go on in the way they have during the past few days P Why, that instead of men coming forward to represent us with an earnest desire to do their best to help in the work of colonisation, we shall have a House composed of political adventurers, living on the people. The prospect of a salary of £2OO or £3OO a year, with free travelling by rail wherever they may wish to go, will be quite sufficient to attract men of this class. ' Highminded men will refuse to come forward under such circumstances, and the governing power of the country will be left in the hands of the class we have referred to. We regret that an Assembly which has always prided itself upon its superiority to others, should have descended so far as to pass such a resolution. It is an apt corollary to the scenes which have recently taken place, and only shows that personal benefit has to a great extent usurped the place of a desire for the welfare of the colony. The future of New Zealand in a great measure depends upon the outcome of the present session, and what do we find ? Instead of debating the important question of the form of government to be established, our legislators waste the public time and money squabbling amongst themselves as to their rate of pay, and voting themselves free railway excursions. Nero fiddled whilst Home was burning ; hon. members, not perhaps being musically inclined, help themselves from the public purse whilst the colony is actually ■without a scheme of government—and all but in financial embarrassment. We don’t know which is the worst picture, but wo incline to the belief that of the two the Homan Emperor has slightly the best of it.