The Daily News TUESDAY, AUGUST 17. NON-PARTY GOVERNMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 175, 17 August 1909, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, AUGUST 17. NON-PARTY GOVERNMENT.

In a recent issue of the Wellington Dominion appears an instructive article I from the pen of Kev. F. Slubbs dealiiiy ] with the working of tile non-party system of (iovoriiinent in Switzerland. The writer went specially to the capital of the country to study the problem, and the results of his investigations provide much food for thought. Switzerland, he points out, is only a small country, not 'larger than the province of Auckland. Its population is only ;i'/ 2 uul'lions. But it is divided into tl ,semiindependent States or Cantons, each of .which has its own C'onstiluUou und special laws; its own legislative, executive and judicial authority; and all of which are united in' a 'Confederation with a- central Parliament at Berne. The duties and powers of the Provincial and Federal Governments and Parliaments are, of course, carefully delb;d. The supreme authority is with the Federal Parliament, which takes care that the limits of cantonal sovereignty arcnot exceeded. At the same time the Cantons have complete authority in provincial matters, and so there 'is to be found in the cantons an intense local patriotism and jealousy of cantonal rights, combined with 'loyalty to the Federal Government and a determination to support it. The Central or Federal Government consists of a Legislature or Federal Assembly, aji Executive, and a Judiciary, whilst the Assembly itself is divided into two Houses, the Xational Council and the Council of of iSenate. Each Canton or State sends members elected every three years liy universal suffrage: the la.tter is a kind of Senate. Each Canton of State sends two members to the Council, making 44 members in all. The Assembly meets twice a year for ahout four weeks, with an occasional extra session. The Government or Executive consists of seven members, and is elected by each ::. .v Assembly at its first meeting. Each 01 these councillors (we would call them Ministers) presides over a separate State Department, and,.as he is almost invariably re-elected, usually retains tli; same office year after year.' One of the seven is elected each year to the supreme office of the Council, and is officially recognised «6 President of the Confederation. Another Councillor is at the same time elected Vice-President, but neither may hold the office for more than one year. The Vice-President usually becomes President. The duties of the Executive arc to control foreign affairs, posts and telegraphs, arsenals, the manufacture and sale of alcohol; to report on all 'legislative .proposals; and to inspect and supervise generally; but it cannot prevent the Assembly meeting, nor can it prorogue or dissolve It. On the other baud, should its proposals be rejected it need not resign. The Executive represents lioth the majority and minority of the members of Parliament, and it is therefore of a non-party character. It is not even expected to lie unanimous; members of the Government argue in the Ass nbly against one I another. In New■ Zealand' or "Australia it would appear impossible that an Executive thus composed of persons of different political views could even constitute a strong and efficient administrative body: it would be expected to spend its time in quarrels and fruitless discussions. 'Such, however, is not the case, it being recognised that each Councillor is simply an executive official to carry out within his own Department | the will of the Assembly and of the B people. The initiative in Federal affairs consists of a demand for a direct popular vote on any constitutional question. It i.s a right seldom availed of. The Referendum, however, as applied to Federal laws', has been used freely by the people. The law as applied to Federal affairs is as follows:—If a formal demand by .'IO,OOO citizens, or eight Cantons. ,is received within three" months after a law has passed the Chambers, the new law must be submitted to the people by means of the Referendum, the result being determined by a majority of the actual voters. The Referendum ilius acts as a check on both Parliament and Government; associates the people with the work of government; increases inlerest in and respect for the laws; and affords a peaceful test in closelycontested issues. In England and Australasia the voters express their opinions; m Switzerland they are able, not ■ only to express them, but to give effect to them. They can force into legislation any law they want, and they 'can preM'nt the operation of any law thev do rot want. Germany i.s governed by a bureaucracy; Great Britain and 'the tniled States by party managers; Switzerland by the people themselves through laws and officials whom thev control. In other countries, a Parliament may be elected on one issue, ami proceed to legislate on another; in Switzerland this is impossible, as is also political corruption. There are certain subjects, however, withheld by custom from the Referendum, e.g., treaties with foreign States, Federal finance, appropriations for war material, administrative disputes, and subsidies for urgent public works. Another interestiui* "feature of the Swiss system is its detacV incut'from party, says the Rev. Stuhhs Every measure i. s considered upon its merits. If a majority of the House consider it is a good one, it is passed; it the contrary, it is rejected. But a'rejection does not mean that the Government must resign, or -that Parliament must be dissolved. N'o censure is implied by a hostile vote. It simply means that the people or the people's representatives do not think the measure a ► )\ Ue °" c >. aml fio !t '* dropped, and , the attention of Government and Parlia- ► meat is turned to another subject. Such J a system of government o n non-party ► lines must appear most peculiar, if not ► indeed impracticable.. And yet, accord- ► ing to the writer, it works'well, and is ► in itself _by no means irrational. )t ► seems, indeed, more irrational that , members of Parliament should be cx- ► peeled to vote for measures of which [ they do not approve, and even pledge ► themselves to measures not vet framed, ► simply on party grounds. Jjiries and ► Judges are not expected to pledge their , verdict before, hearing .the evidence, and J yet tins is what is expected in English- , speaking countries of « loyal party ► man. He votes for a measure, not beJ cause it is a good ;„•:.:. (though it may be that), but simply because the f interests of his party demand it, and I on (he same grounds he would be just r as ready to vote against it, No r does I it seem to a plain man quite reasonable ► Ihat a Government should resign simply I because one of its proposals "is reject- ► cil by Parliament. It may introduce 3D ► good and acceptable measures; ought it ► to be destroyed on account of the"for|i- ► etli? And so under the present system ► a Government i.s compelled to put'party t interests first, and the interests of the , people, or even national security, may bo sacrificed. In Switzerland the noii-' party System has proved a success. The ! people are contented and happy- the parliamentary machinery works smoothily; officiate are selected on their merits; corruption is unknown: the country is steady in its policy; members are free to vote according to their convictions; there are no Ministerial crises; both Government and private member's have infinitely less anxiety and expense in reference to their seats; and the cost of government is the lowest in the world.