The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1884. CORRUPT PARLIAMENTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1166, 17 April 1884, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1884. CORRUPT PARLIAMENTS.

Major. Atkikson gaTo utterance at least to a single truth in his speech at Hawera. He said it was the constituencies themselves made corrupt representatives. This is a fact. In the eyes of the majority of people in any constituency in New Zealand, the j representative who does not secure for j his own district a large sum of public j money is no good. He may speak like an angel, and Yote like a saint on all subjects ; he may direct the whole machinery of government, and do a world of good for the country at large, but if he neglects to secure some special benefit for the district he represents, he is not wortli a straw in the ryes of his ■constituency. The result is thit every :member that goes to Wellington makes .an effort to get something for his own 'district. He knows very well that it he ■does not do so his fate is sealed for the next elpntion, and to please his ■constituency he sell* his vote regardless of the consequence to the colony. It is thus representatives are corrupted. No man takes a bribe ; no man can get a bribe to take ; but he sells the country for the mess of pottage which he brings "back to his own district. We warn our .readers that the time has arrived now when this should be done away with, and when constituencies shiould return men not to, bring back to tJLiem something to build this bridge or that railway, but to do their besit for the country at large. It is this very corrupt'

manner of voting away money that has led the colony into its extraordinary in debtedneßs, lor Government after Government has in this way spent thousands—nay, millions—which never should hare been allocated, and for which the colony as a whole never received a pin's worth of benefit. But though we acknowledge the truth of Major Atkinson'* words, we think he was very foolish in referring to the matter ; for if on« m»n in this colony did more than another to encourage this corruption, the present Premier was that man. If he had the interests of the colony at heart, if he had wished to transact the finances in an honest way, he had every opportunity of doing it, He has b?en for some ten or fifteen years at least, with the exception of a very short intermission, Colonial Treasurer, and he knew very well where all the money was going and how uselessly it was being spent in many cases. No man had better opportunities of protesting against the corruption which he now condemns than Major Atkinson, but he always encouraged it; he was alwayi ready to ! borrow money, and buy votes with it so as to retain his own seat. When Mr Wakefield contested the Inangahua Electorate the Government, of which Major Atkinson was Colonial Treasurer, telegraphed to Mr Shaw that he coulr* promise the expenditure of a great many thousand pounds in that constituency provided they returned Mr Shaw, The bait took, and Mr Shaw was elected. Thus the Government bought that electorate with money on which the people of New Zealand have to pay interest. And this very same Major Atkinson comes forward now to lecture constituencies on their delinquencies in bringing pressure to bear on their representatives to lecure for them a share of the public funds ! He now assumes a virtu« which he has never practised. . This corruption must end, and it will when there is no more money to buy votes with. As soon as the Government ceases to borrow money, and there is none to buy votes with, corruption will vanish and we shall have men voting according to the pledges they give to their constituents and the dictates of their conscience, but not until then.