The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1918. TAMPERING WITH THE CONSTITUTION.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 August 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1918. TAMPERING WITH THE CONSTITUTION.

{With which is Incorporated The Xflihapo Pont and Walra«tJno News).

A message from London, published on Saturday, seems to indicate that in this time of stress England is to be the heaching-place for derelict Colonial Premiers. New Zealand has already one permanently stationed there, and now it is suggested that Sir Joseph Ward is to remain in England, what as, is not clearly stated. It is said that the British Cabinet has been considering the question of providing continuity in deliberations by direct communication with British Dominions’ representatives all the year round. The annual meeting is found to be unsatisfactory, and of questionable effect, and it has now been decided that the Dominions shall each have a Minister stationed permanently in London. This innovation is not in conformity with the constitution of the Mother Country, or with the New Zealand constitution, and the new Minister’s position will therefore be somewhat obscured as a consequence—a means to an end rather than the end itself. The weakness of the innovation lies in the investment of only secondary powers; the new Ministers will not, in practice, have the authority and power of Prime-Ministers of the respective Dominions; they will attend meetings rather to watch proceedings of the Imperial War Cabinet, and,■-'if*'Sir Joseph Ward accepts the position he will, presumably, have to refer all questions of importance to Mr. Massey, in jgjew Zealand, before adjudicating. The London “Times” points out that largely increased responsibilities will be bestowed on the Dominions, giving them more frequent opportunities to represent their views on vital matters connected with the v/ar. There can be no doubt about one aspect of the increased responsibilities, for the institution of a Ministerial establishment in London with its customary retinue is going to burden an already overburdened community of taxpayers with a further load of many thousands of pounds a year. At the best Sir Joseph Ward Is to be only a second-rate Minister, as the project provides for much more frequent visits of Dominion Prime Ministers to London, further immensely adding to the cost of government hero, which is already very much higher than it

should be for the paltry mlUloa of population this country boasts of. Until more detailed and definite Information is to hand we cannot range ourselves on one side or the other, but our people may well zealously watch what is taking place, more especially as the constitution of government in both Britain and her dominions is being ignored to do something beside which a general election in this country pales into insignificance. The very worst fate that can hefal the people of any country is to be over-gov-erned; 'New Zealand is in the ; category of the over-governed already, therefore a zealous scrutiny should be. made of any proposal to widen constitutional limits. It is because such countries as Germany is over-govern-ed that tlje present bloody holocaust is raging; we have evidence that overpowerful governments will stand at nothing; that they will callously sacrifice the lives of millions of their people to still further increase their power, but who ever heard of a Government voluntarily reducing its powers? The national constitution is thrust aside instantly its limitations are in the way of power-seekers. We are advocaing caution; it is not in the best interests of the Empire that any body of men should weild such power as would have to be invested in any one body established for the government of such an Empire as that now known as British. Before German States became federated into an Empire and brought under the rule of an Emperor, there was no danger whatever of Germany becoming a world peace-breaker. Looking back over the history of the world to the time when the first word we know of history was written, wo find that overpowerful governments have abused their power, and in numerous cases sacrificed the lives of the people in efforts to gain more power, and modern governments are not one whit different in this respect from those of the past, as Germany is now proving up to the bloody hilt. It may be found desirable to institute an Imperial Cabinet, up to which the appointment of a permanent Minister is, apparently, to lead, but an appointment that necessitates frequent visits of Prime Ministers to London does not appeal to us as being altogether desirable. It will be an easy matter to drift into a condition in which the governments of the Dominions may become subject and subservient to that of Britain, and the people have to decide whether that would not he retrogression rather than progression. We have evidence of what has happened in Germany, and we are forcefully reminded of what happened in the year 1776. when the American colony, now known as the United States, becoming weary of the exactions and undue In-" torference of the all-powerful Mother Government, threw off the yoke of oppression and became a great and independent republic. It was largely a matter of taxation in those days, and we shall find that all the added frills of government now proposed mean | more taxation, and 'still more taxation, pot to be spent to increase riches and comfort of the nation, but to maintain a governing class and to increase the power and riches of a few. It is remarkable how little of the taxation levied in this country is being spent on internal improvement and progress, and this is a question that might well have the p eople’s most earnest attention when new forms of government are being sought that are calculated to centre all power over the government of our huge Empire, with its conflicting needs, in London. Details of the new proposal for a permanent Minister in Britain are so meagre that it is quite impossible tc intelligently discuss it at present. ! It may be said that federated govern- I merit works admirably in America, and we quite agree thereto, but, it must ! not he forgotten that if the governing auhority in the United States does not come up to the people’s expectations, they can change it from its Head down I to members of State Legislatures. The ! states of America are in reality one 1 large country with similar interests 1 pervading the whole, but the British i I Empire is quite a different federation j at present, and it may become as great I a danger to confer powers on the | Imperial Government to-day similar to j those in vogue when the United States found the resultant oppression and exactions more than they could bear. It is vitally necessary that New Zealanders should jealously scrutinise I all proposals for increased taaxtion, j which is to be spent on that which is ! unproductive, and that which will tend to make producers and workers poorer and also limit the effectiveness of their voice in their country’s government. The mainspring of the Empire should be tampered with as little as Possible, if it is desired to avoid It detrimentally affecting- that of our °wr Dominion. Our people should carefully watch and note the attitude those New Zealand editors, who are in England at Government expense, will take when they resume control of their respective journals after their return; they have been givefi a free trip for some great purpose, what is it?