THE CHINESE PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1746, 11 August 1917, Page 1

THE CHINESE PARLIAMENT.

Discussing the crisis that was developing’ in China when the last mail left, the Tientsin Times expressed the hope that the new Legislature Would consist of men of an entirely different type from those who reassembled in Pekin after the failure of Yuan Shih-Kai’s monarchical scheme. “One does not desire to see a servile Parliament in China.” the journal continued, “but it is certainly to he hoped that the majority of the next Parliament will consist of men of more moderate and practical views than the present politicians. The latter are excessively paid, and hold altogether exaggerated views of their own importance. After being in almost continuous session for nearly a year, during which period they have cost the country hundreds of.thousands of dollars, they cannot point to a single piece of finished constructive work. Th is being so, the extended powers with which they seek to invest themselves by means of the new Constitution ought never to be conceded to them. Until the Chinese Parliament has shown itself capable of a reasonable output of constructive legislation, the loss it has tto say in the administration the better. What powers it possesses have been used chiefly for the purposes of obstruction and petty interference. A Parliament of a very different typo must be organised if the Chinese Legislature is ever to command respect at home or abroad.”