Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, NOV. 24, 1900. M.H.R.

Manawatu Herald, 24 November 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, NOV. 24, 1900. M.H.R.

Members of parliament have broad backs, and necessary it is for them , to be so built, and while it is clear that they have not shone in legislating they are not deserving of all the 1 abuse they get. Still there appears to be something wanting, something 1 which will take from members the arduous duty of grabbing for the loaves and fishes for their con- J stituents. Now, as matters are \ arranged it is almost their bounden < duty to milk tho State cow to the •- best of their ability, as the cow is I ' there to be milked, and it would bo | useless for the electoral district to ( which that member belonged, who . went to the cow when she was dry. , ( II L uu undignified proceeding and 1

should be one that could easily be dispensed with if our legislators would frame some measure whereby a certain percentage of revenue shou d be devoted to opening up the country. It will bo argued that such a scheme has been tried and failed, but a 1 past schemes were made on a hard and fast principle that unto he that hath shall be given and the poor shall go empty away. That is to say the assistance was based on the pound for pound principle, and the rich Southern countries got money they know not how to spend and actually placed their subsidies on fixed deposit at the banks, whilst counties being newly opened up were paralised for money. Any stick is good enough to beat a dog with, and the government of the day used the rich counties as a reason for reducing subsidies to the minimum amount that is now received. It is not for us, even if we could, to draft a measure to achieve the object we have in view, that of a liberal subsidy to all local authorities based on population and area of unopened land, so that help could be in proportion to the need ; but is one for those who enjoy the modest pittance of £240 a year, with a £40 bonus, for attending to the business of the country. Until some such scheme is worked out, we are bound to have the annual scramble which is lowering to the parliament and constitutencies, and which places a too great power in altering the opinion of the members, by the government of the day, on important measures. We cannot conceive why the money annually devoted by the government could not be divided on the necessities of districts, but we can less understand why members place themselves in such an unsatisfactory position, session after session, when the remedy is in their own hands.