The Daily News. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1903. POLITICAL MALINGERERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 261, 3 December 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1903. POLITICAL MALINGERERS.

The public sometimes read in the press, or may be in novels, of that contemptible individual known us the malingerer. The malingerer is a person who shirks his work en the excuse of sickness or inability. By a series of clever excuses ivorkeii out on these foundations the shrewd malingerer is often enabled to enjoy his much coveted idleness, whilst the work lie should be doing is thrust upon the shoulders of anoth.M-. The malingerer is most often heard of in prison, for it is there men are asked to work without hope of reward or betterment. In every-day life the keen sense of self-interest is sufficient to keep most men in action. Nevertheless we occasionally meet with those who will shirk their fair share of work if the possibility of doing so offers. Take, for instance, our Parliamentary representatives. Where would it be possible to find a better example of dangerous malingering than in the concluding hours of the last session ? The man who is well paidj and who has taken voluntarily upon himself the hi-f>Jh duty of representing his fellow men in the council of tilio country, should feel himself in honour bound to carry through the task ho has undertaken. But what do wo find has been the case ? Have our representatives stood to their posts and aciiuiUcd themselves like honourable servants of the people ? No ! Rather have they been guilty of a 'disgraceful violation of the trust reposed in them. At a time when the keenest attention to business was demanded the people were confronted with the degrading spectacle of legislation being metaphorically "chucked through with a shovel." The discussion on the Estimates revealed a tot.il disregard of the importance of matters dealt with, and the objection to, or commendation of any particular vote seldom went beyond a demand to f"pass it," "get on," or other exclamations of a like nature. In half an hour £120,000 of the Supplementary Estiimaites was passed practically withqut digcussiop, including £ls, 000 for a memorial to Queen Victoria in Lpndon. Then, going to the other pxtrejnp ( House i ejected the Railways Appropriation Bill, thus preventing the construction of many important lines, These instances of how the Estimates were dealt with are qiuitp sufficient to '■ show* the constituencies the manner in which the country's business . is transacted when "mem'bers Ate meni tally and bodily exhausted by a trying session." To the fanner, business man, or professional nan, who , works ten or twelve hours a day, year in and year out, it seems strange that an average of 5H Hours a day for five months should so exhaust a man that he becomes mcap- < able of giving an intelligent vote. I Nevertheless it appeal's that members do becomo exhausted nnd prostrated with nostaiy.'a, therefore some arrangement should be arrived at. . whereby tho important work could be t taken early in the session. There can be no excuse for the representatives deserting their posts (or still worse, disgracing themselves by ; political imbecility), 'out the real ' blame lies at the door of the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Seddon has no right to flojod Parliament in its dying hours with important legislation, and Jlr Massey should certainly ha\e strength enough in his leadership te beep his party together when his following in the country desires forcible representation. But wherever 1 the blame lies, it is clear something must bo done to prevent a recurrence of like conduct in future sessions. The members who yielded to their longnngs for home, and left the legiglptipp of the country to look after itsellfeverp Messrs J. Allen, Bedford, Buddo, Dftve.y, Lung. Laurenson, Lewis, R. McKenzje, T, Mackenzie, McLachlan, Rutherford, Sidey, Taylor and Witty. No doubt some 1 of these gentlemen will huve siwkward questions asked when next they address the electors, and wo trust the people will let it be undesstood vyith no uncertain voice that they 1 wiii not tolerate political malingerers.