AN ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 490, 10 August 1912, Page 5

AN ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE.

NON-PARTY GOVERNMENT

The advocacy in favour of an elective executive is bscorning more general througout the Dominion,and the attention of politicians is being turned to the matter more generally. For years Sir William Steward championed the cause of the elective executive in Parliament, but his following did not grow. A new. champion has naw stepped into the arena in Mr Lauren-

son, who in speaking on fcha subject in the House this week, aaid: "As Ijng as human natura exists you" will find the whole of the members ol.ths House striving for the nine positions in the Ministry," declared Mr Laurenson, who went on to dwell | upon the waste of time while mer

were striving for positions under the abominable system of party politics. With a proposal like this he thought they should rise above party, and give it a trial. -Hon. R. McKenzie:- That is radical, isnt' it? Sri Joseph Ward expressed surprise at the lack of courage on the part of the Government respecting so constitutional a change. He had never known so important a proposal on which there had been no Government announcement. Sir Joseph said he did not subscribe to such a change. To suppose that they were going to abolish the party system was absolutely nonsense. They could not get.rid of party—there would be even more intriguing. He believed it would be, only jumping out of the frying pan into the fire, an-i that a gooi party fight sometimes did a lot of gool. "Parliament should control tha Executive of this Hou3e," Contended Mr J. A. Hanan in supporting the Bill. ! "Under the wretched system that "exists," he added, "it was possible for a new Government to climb into office" over the backs of political rats." (Cries of*"Oh, oh.") They had seen the flinging aside of pledges, they had seen political views put aside, they had>seen disappointed ambitions, spleen and vindictiveness, they had seen men go back on the people they were returned to represent, and the result was they had a new Government which, although it did not possess the majority of the votes of the House, had been returned to office because they were able to secure the votes of men who were traitors, who out of pique had voted against the party they had worked with for years." (Government laughter). |

"It is a measure that is only supported by rail-sitters and opportunists," declared the < Hon. R. McKenzie.

Aftes further discussion, the mover replied, and on going to the division the second reading was negatived by one vote —34 to 35.