The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5242, 11 January 1878, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1878.

It was stated by Prince Albert that constitutional government was on its trial in England. The remark attracted a large amount of attention at the time, and found favor amongst the Tories, who were becoming alarmed at the inroads democracy was making in the established order of things. However, the vast majority of Englishmen were of opinion that the system of government f under which they lived had passed the ordeal of trial, and that the verdict must be that constitutional government was. a success. The state of anarchy .now prevailing hi Victoria would lead persons holding similar views to those held by the late. Prince , Consort to suppose that constitutional government in that colony was a failure, for there the whole political system is at a standstill owing to the war of elements in the State. Our readers have been informed by telegram that the Legislative Council of Victoria had thrown out the Appropriation Bill because it -included a sum for the payment of members of the Legislature. The Bill was laid aside by the Council for the following reasons :—“1. Because there is included in it an item of £18,025 for reimbursing members of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly their expenses in relation to their attemdance in Parliament at the rate of £3OO per annum each, and such reimbursement involves a question of public policy which has been already, during the present session, submitted to the Legislative Council ~ in a Bill intituled ‘An Act for the continuation of an expiring law,’ such expiring law being ‘ An Act to provide for reimbursing members of the Legislative Council and of the Legislative Assembly their expenses in relation to their attendance in Parliament,’ and such Bill was then disposed of ; and it is contrary to Parliamentary practice to deal. with the same question twice in the same session. 2. Because to tack to the annual Appropriation Bill a question of public policy precludes the Legislative Council from giving a free and deliberate vote concerning it, and deprives them therefore of their constitutional .right.” The Victorian Ministry, have met . the action of the Council by a strong step, for the telegrams in our issue of Thursday state that the Government have dispensed with the services of several hundred public officers, including all the County Court . Judges, the Police Magistrates, and the permanent heads of the various branches of the Civil Service. It ' is also announced that public opinion strongly condemns the action jof the Government, and that great indignation prevails. The latter portion of the news can bo taken for what it is worth. Paris, it is generally said, is all France ; but Melbourne, in a political sense, is not all Yictbria by a very long way. • In fact, the representatives of the capital are generally found in the ranks of the minority, i Melbourne men, with liberal views, who are desirous of entering Parlianient, are compelled to seek, the fayorofsuburban or country constituencies We are inclined to think that the extreme course adopted by the Victorian 1 Ministry; .will,, meet with the ■ approval of'the' majority of the country. , Mr. Beery no doubt is blameablo for throwing the whole' machinery'of government so much out of gear. •; But a groat deal can be said in extenuation. Those .papers representing the opinions of the Legis r , lative Council have frequently urged that the only course open to the Ministry was to,appeal,tfi the country. However, it anusU be ' remembered that the present Assembly' has only boon elected, some seven, jor eight months. .Payment of members has always been a recognised principle, op the Liberal party -in Victoria,■ aiid as; the, country, returned, to.'Parliarnent an overwhelming majority,of that party, there is no good reason to suppose that the' Liberal 1 party in, Victoria have abandoned the principle." . It ip,true that at; the'last election the question was; not brought before . the electors, but it doe’s not necessarily follow

from this, as some Victorian journals appear to think, that the people of the colony had come to the conclusion that payment of members was a mistake, and that the candidates were afraid to ventilate the question. The principle of re-, manerating Parliamentary representatives for their services had been frequently affirmed by the country long, before the-Legislative Connell could be induced to pass a measure for the payment of members. The operation of the Bill was limited to a certain number of years. That time has elapsed, and the party which strenuously advocated payment of members is still in power, and it is only fair to suppose that its principles are endorsed by the majority of the constituencies. There is no apparent reason for believing that the Ministerialists in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria do not as faithfully represent the views of the electors on the question of payment of members as on any other matter. The truth is that the Tory party in Victoria are using every trick and device to defeat the will of the majority, and the excuse that payment of members was not placed before the country at, the last election, is only a shallow pretext.. It would have been more honest if the gentlemen of the Upper House had said that they would not have payment of 'members on any consideration. Past experience proves too well how little the majority in the Legislative Council of Victoria care for the will of the people of Victoria. It is evident that it is now hoped to worry the Lower House into abandoning a principle for the adoption of which, the Liberal party! had long struggled, arid which was ohly carried into effect by the sheer force of public opinion.: However, if the Council persists in its opposition, the question be referred to - the electors; ana we venture to say that, if the!Upper IJouso accepts the verdict of the constituencies, thp payment of members of the Legislature will be continued in Victoria,