SESSION PROSPECTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1922, Page 3

SESSION PROSPECTS.

A KEEN EDGE ON POLITICS

“POLITICAL CANNIBALISM PAMPHLET.

(Lyttelton Times Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Juno 28. Before the formal opening of t-lie session it was evident, from the opinions of the advance-guard of members, that politics in the Dominion have developed a keen edge, and that the discussions of the House of Representatives will sliou a liveliness which lifts been generally absent- from the present Parliament. The withdrawal of Mr Statham from the Opposition combination may again raise the question of what party should till the osition of the official Opposition, as the Labourites now appear with an additional member. It is expected that Iff Holland, or his whip the member for Lyttelton, will once more ask for Mr Speaker’s ruling on this interesting subject. The first highly controversial question for the House is that of the threatened second reduction iii the salaries of. Public Servants. -At present, this matter is under discussion between the Finance Minister and the president of the Arbitration Court, whose advice lie is empowered to obtain under the provisions of the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act. The case for the Public Servant can be briefly put in this way. That the Arbitration Court considered that a weekly reduction of os was sufficient to moot tile changed position of outside InOonr. That reduction came into force in May. wlisreas' the Public Service reduction, amounting to fis per week in the oase of the wages men and other low-paid employees, operated from January 1. If the full powers of the Statute arc applied by the Finance Minister, public servants will suffer a 2s per day reduction from July 1. but there is a feeling that the Government will possibly tone oIT the blow although some further reduction is doomed imperative, in view of the unsatisfactory position of the revenue. Parliament was given the responsi- I bility of dealing with the original posi- [ tion last session, and if. is confidently expected that Parliament will again have to take its share of I lie responsibility for further application of retrenchment. As the public servants do not anticipate a decision until the second week in July the first “pay” is at flip end of that month they expect that in the meantime the House will have come to some decision as a guide ;n the Minister of Finance. This ao■ounts for tlie active interviewing of Members by public servants in all parts if New Zealand. Tn viow of the prosipet of the House again having to cliide on the subnet il is interesting o call in mind the lact that on tin' omniittce stage of the Hill, the Govninicnf’s ma joril v came down to four n an amendment limiting the opera ion of tiic c ut to pei.vms in receipt of salary exceeding C2lO. VOTING SYSTEMS. Anticipating a, lively campaign on In* subjet t of improved voting sys-

terns, the (iovernment organisation lias carried the war into the enemy's cant]) liy the issue ol a comprehensive pamph let which --whatever may lie said of its arguments is extremely 1 I’fi'ective in its arrangement. Following the phrase (oined hy the lion W. Downie Stewart, it is headed “Political Cnnnibnli in." It sets out to demonstrate that proportional representation has been a failure wherever tried, the New South M ales and .Tasmanian experiences being largely drawn upon for examples. The anonymous writer Imldlv challenges the principal advantage claimed for proportional representation—its opportunity fop representation of minorities hy endeavourin'; to show that it actually penalises minorities. In describin'' the ChrLtehureh Cite Council elections utjder proportional representation. the v.rfter claims that flic result was the return of five candidates whc.. after Til counts, failed to sc are the i|i!ota entitling; them to b" eh" led. while four c'lid'dates who were excluded secured more voles on the first count than the candidates wlu> were declared elected. The system, il is rontended in another chapter, would de-

.strnv nartv Government. IMi'niK SIIVISTKirS KOItEWOKU. I The contentions in tli is pamphlet would naturally bring it into the forefiont of j>o|itii-nl controversy. and tin’s is oil lln> more certain liecnnse the Prime, Minister lifts provided it witli :ui approving foreword. During tlio course of tlii.s introduction Mr Massey says: “Theoretically, as the writer of this pamphlet says, the proportional system seems to embody all that its advocates claim for it; hut as he ones on to point, out, it fails to give those results which alone ensure stability ot government. and the representation of parties by their ablest and most trusted members. In New Sooth Wales it placed a minority government in power in lf)2l) on the votes of less than onefourth of the whole electorate, and its v rhing at the Central Election this ve"r proved satisfactory to neither of the f.’p'eat political parties. Under the proportional system. as apparent in both elections, the tendency is to substitute ‘group polities.' for parly government. without which there can he no real parliamentary government on i! moeratfe lines. •dtp tUp far’s adduced, it would ap">;iv i hat the proportional system destines local representation. and those HTvonal relationships between members m l their constituents which are so ■ 1 -'id in opr political life ; that it ,veiikens, if it does not acluai'y destroy ability rule, by giving; minorities nidii ' inliiienee in the counsels of the stronger minority party, and that it days into the hands of the strongest md most ruthless of the partv ma- • 'dip'.s. ! am satisfied that if properly mderstood, the great majority of tin' ample of this country will have lunto ' i<, so far as the House of Hop resellaliv's is concerned.”