OUR CITY MEMBERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 120, 20 May 1880, Page 2

OUR CITY MEMBERS.

To the Editor op the "Evening Mail." Sir—l fully agree with you in deprecating the " miserable bickering " (if that is the proper term) which we have lately witnessed between our two representatives; but I do nofc at all agree that the evil consequences wi 1 D 3 either lessened or avoided by sajijg and doirg nothing more. The matter seems to me .too serious for that, and, in more senses than one, to have gone too far. We may shut our own eyes, but that will not prevent the rest of New Zealand seeing us. You may depend upon it that the events of the last month here are known, more or less correctly, throughout the colony, and will be minutely canvassed among the members of the two Houses on their meeting next week. What welcome will our members receive from their brother legislators? It is clear that en merely selfish grounds, we, aB a constituency, have a direct concern with the position our representatives occupy. Their real weight and influence are determined by the estimation in which they are held. If then —not to go further back than Tuesday's meeting—it appears that one of our representatives, publicly addressing hi 3 constituents, admitted he had called the other a " scoundrel," and though hard pressed would not refract or apologise, and within five minutes thereafter received a vote of confidence (however passed) in what position is our other Representative left, and what will be thought of both of them and of the Nelson people if the matter is left as it now stands ? There is no cure that I can see but the radical one—-an appeal, not to one public meeting or another, but to tbe consti tuencies andthe ballot-box. Yours, &c., An Elector.