MEMBERS AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5278, 23 February 1878, Page 3

MEMBERS AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. —Sir, —l-learn from the Wellington-journals that an endeavor is being ’made to' get up; a requisition to Mr. Hunter to resign his seat Hi the- Assembly; - With the'’reasons' alleged, I have nothing to do; I object merely to. the - Resumption that a member ought * to’ resign ;if; requested to do so by a ( majority of his constituents. Ido not even take the highest ground of argument, which : is 'to be found in the essential difference between.‘l representation ’’ and “ delegation,”-— : in the question'whether, a" member be elected as the fittest person to exercise a sound judgment, of his own in matters concerning the political welfare of the country, or on’the contrary as'the likeliest, man to, follow .servilely the, shifting phases of, public' opinion .as it may happen to.be held by a majority’ of’ his constituents.' Such a line Of, argument,; in) the 1 present‘temper ‘of the times, would be laughed at by free and enlightened electors. But a suggestion may be . offered, which is of > a really practical nature. Assuming that a member ought to yield to the wishes of a majority, what sort of majority ought that to be ?—-a majority of the whole constituency, or of those -who actually voted, for him ? Let us try the principle by an ex,-, treme case." - Suppose a member elected by a majority of one; and suppose one .of his voters bought over by a five-pound/note, or perhaps a glass of, grog, to join with the minority, in, signing a .requisition to resign forthwith, does it then become the duty of that member to throw over, the whole of the party that supported him, to disappoint the hopes jof . those who may have labored day and night in , his: behalf, thebturning-poiut having been an irregular transaction at the bar of a publichouse ? J /. : ■ , - ' ■

This is the.,sole, aspect of the case that; I. care to observe upon. As to the: requisition itself, it would be most useful, for it would donbtless be met by, a counter-requisition to retain the seat,: and then,; by the signatures affixed, it would be known who is who.”—l am, &c., : .< Hugh Carleton, • ; ; Wellington, February 20.