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Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1920, Page 2

While there are some signs that the present House might he disposed to aeoept the Elective Executive principle, we do not think the measure has much chance of reaching the statute hook, nor if it did do we think the principle would work satisfactorily. Members of Parliament will continue to .be Reeled largely on the party ticket they espouse. The number of independents who are

elected are very few, and their independence once they are in the House is very short lived. They realise rio doubt, if thoy are not for a Government they must be against it. It is difficult to face both ways where party principles are involved, and so the independent finds himself invariably supporting tho party which conforms to his loading political principles—and he would not vote to oust that party on any side issue, when the ousting would negative all that he considered best 'in political principles. Assuming that j tho Elective Executive law was in force, the major party in the House would j have tho advantage in tho voting. No I doubt tho members would not vote as it * were in an irresponsible way- The members of a party would confer at a caucus they would probably vote on a "ticket’,’ which would mean tho return of members supporting the dominant party. Then the House would be back to where it is now. If parties were fairly even and some radioal not to say revolutionary members got into the Executive, the Cabinet would not b© a happy family for long. There would be friction, and without union of action misgovernmenl

would result. It is difficult to alter tho old established methods of doing things. Those who laid the foundations of our political systems were far seeing, and to tamper with the unwritten code of procedure is to invite disaster. A Cabinet to perform its functions freely must have an assured majority behind it—and the party system alone gives that security. Any deviation from it produces a go-as-you-please condition of affairs, for the Cabinet would never know what one day may bring to pass, and so a definite policy could not be guaranteed. The Elective Executive system like many another apparent political reform looks well standing by itself, but put inlo action there is the certainty of much difficulty, and trouble calculated to defeat the purpose * its- sponsors aim at securing.