The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 613, 20 April 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1878.

Mr. Hcgh Hart LrsK, member for Franklin in the House of Representatives, has signified his intention of resigning his seat, in consequence of his public position acting prejudicially towards his profession. Mr. Lcsk seems to have become gradually alienated from the Sir Georce Grey party. There was a time when he was one of its most thorough-going adherents, and it was by means of~ the Liberal ticket, and as a supporter of Sir George Grey, that lie obtained admission to Parliament. He is a fluent speaker, and imed his eloquence in furthering the cause of the Liberal party. But he was adjudged by the House last session to have been guilty of a breach of privilege, he having received payment from the Auckland City Council for services which he had rendered that body as a member of Parliament. This occurrence, it seems, has rankled in the mind of Mr. Lusk, who sees that a member of Parliament must not only spend at least one-third of his time in the service of his country, and neglect his established business so as to throw it into other channels ; but. he must also take exceeding care, if he is a lawyer, or an agent of any kind, that, in conducting his business, he steers clear of entrenching upon the privileges of the House. This has the effect of circumscribing a member's business, and there are few men here whose positions will admit of such restriction. Some men may enter Parliament with an idea that, by virtue of their position, they will gain popularity and be enabled to increase their chances of making money. As a rule they do not make money in the ordinary way of business. It is a misfortune-' that the reverse is the case: because it renders representative Government some-; what anomalous. Genuine men— men j who have ability and know how to use it —are debarrrd from entering upon political life, or, having entered upon it, are compelled to abandon it, because they and theirs are maintained by hard work. To this cause is mainly due the fact that men are returned as representatives of the people who represent their own interests and those of their friends. We admit that it is very necessary that restrictions should be placed upon aspirants to seats in Parliament—that they should be made perfectly aware of the sacrifice they are about to make —in order to lessen as far as possible the political corruption that is inseparable from the Government of a colony like this : but. the misfortune is thflt, instead of doing away with the evil, it has the effect of assisting to aggravate it by placing men in Parliament who go there, not because of the honor attaching to representing the people, but because they have their own ends to work out. Mr. Lcsk, notwithj standing that he was arraigned before Parliament during last session, charged with an unparliamentary practice, is far less culpable than many others who sit in the House, and who appeared shocked at his conduct. The only difference between Mr. Lcsk's offence and the offences of some others, is that he received LSO from the Auckland City Council fir doing certain work in Parliament connected with his profession, and they wrest from the country by dishonest practices as many thousands without " turning a hair." It is to be regretted that Mi*. Lcsk should have felt it necessary to retire from his seat in the House, because it is almost certain that his place will be filled by a man not half so intelligent, and there is a chance that it may be filled by an enemy to the progress of the country.