CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 4, 23 May 1914, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

FKJIITJNG, NOT WORKING. riay.-, "\ latov" in tho Manawatn Times, "What a. pity it is that under our syileni of parly government, all the good nu'u are lighting against each other. They all ought to be working together for the general good." There will be no change, of that system .until we get a Parliament composed entirely of independent men who will regard public interests as 01 greater importance than party success At present we have too many professional politicians and! ''carpet baggers.' I believe, you are right. I have often wondered! what real interest in the public welfare some members of Parliament can .possibly possess. The people Jiave allowed them to secure positions in yhich for tho mere wagging of their jaws they can draw £IOO a year, and if anything goes wrong all they have to do is to pack up their carpet bags, and go to 'some other country in which their chance of obtaining positions would l be all the greater because they once held the status of M.P.

J Tilt; N'KXT. ELKtTTOX. Its rather curious that already in some electorates people are hotly disc.ussin,.' the nex-i election. Another strange feature is th:it in no case are they debuting principles. The personal or political qualifications of possible candidates form the sole subject. Yet a session of. the present Parliament has still to lie held, and during that all sort.-, of unexpected tilings may happen. We i|iu'-'-tion whether it is worth while exciting feelings of bitterness and animosity before the actual fray has begun. Kvcn then cool and c:\liu consideration would be preferable. The present agitation seems to be symptomatic of the extent to which the party svstem hits perinea ted the people. We Inist that before the election'has ended more attention will be paid to principles anil le-'s, (,> personalities.--Palmei'ston Times.