THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1891. CORRUPTION IN CANADA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2245, 25 August 1891, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1891. CORRUPTION IN CANADA.

Canada has had a respectable Government, in the sense in which the term respectable is invariably applied, No working men’s representative there, for no working men have votes. Before a man can vote in Canada he must possess property to the value of 300 dollars in towns, and 200 dollars in the country, so that none but men of some little standing can exercise the franchise there. It was so until about ten years ago in our own colony. Up to 1880 property qualification was required to enable one to vote ; yet it was before that date that all the corruption, and all the extravagance, and all the political railway-making took place. No working men’s representatives then. They were chiefly the representatives of sharpers, who cared

not for consequences so long as they got a railway made through their land. Let it be now remembered that it was before the extension of the franchise that all the mischief was done in New Zealand, and it would appear, too, that we are not singular in this respect. There are no working men electors in Canada, and no workiag men representatives, but evidently Parliament is not a bit the better for it. There we find, according to the cablegrams, corruption running rampaut, and bribery and swindling indulged in by Ministers of the Crown, as well as Crown officials, contractors, and all persons connected with public works. This is not creditable to democracy, but let us not forget that these gentlemen are respectable —that is, rich. No poor man is amongst them ; he could not get there, for his class are political slaves. They are also Conservative, and they have held the reins of Government from time immemorial. It was said at the time of the death of Sir John Macdonald that he had been a Minister for the last forty years, and as he was head of the Party of Corruption we presume they have been the " Continuous Ministry" of Canada. At anyrate, we have before us books showing that they were in office ten years ago and have remained there since. It is very creditable to them, after having been in receipt of £I4OO a year since, that they have now been found out as a lot of vulgar swindlers, who used to blackmail contractors, and give contracts to those who gave the largest bribe. In the same way a few years ago similar corruption was detected in New South Wales, where a rich landowner named Davis used his position as a member of the Government to make roads and improvements through his own land with " unemployed" labor, paid for out of Government funds. There, too, the members were respectable because at that time no member was paid for his services, and no poor man could afford to be a member of Parliament, yet such things as these went on. Can working men do worse ? We do not think they will, but if they do we shall keep them at home and send their wives.

HARVEST PROSPECTS. It is about six months since we predicted that the price of grain would be high in the coming season, and we are glad to find that the cablegrams are daily confirming our opinion, Now is the beginning of the harvest season in Europe, and now the price of wheat would come down, only that there is a scarcity of it. The available supply is now well known, and it is a sure sign that there is a shortage when the' price is going up instead of coming down. We therefore feel certain that good prices will be obtained this season, and if so the prospects of New Zealand farmers must be regarded as indeed bright. An immense amount of grain has been put iu this season. We learn that Mr John Grigg, of Longbeach, has put in 5000 'acres of wheat, and throughout the country farmers have put in extensive areas of it. With good prices, therefore, we may look forward to a prosperous year. There is nothing to stand in our way, unless, indeed, some "ring " succeeds in upsetting all our calculations. It is very difficult for them to do it when the wheat supply is short, and if they act at all it is more likely to prove advantageous to the New Zealand farmer than otherwise. The American farmers talk of storing up their surplus stock of grain in order to send up the price in Europe, and we notice that already wheat has risen 4s per quarter there. Such a course would therefore only improve our chances, so, under any circumstances, our procpects appear bright.

PAYMENT OF MEMBERS. Our views on the Payment of Members Bill have already appeared in these columns. It is only right, and just, and proper, that the Members should be paid, and the sum of £240 is not too much. No one can appreciate this so well as one who has paid the expenses of an election. But, while admitting all this, we think the present Parliament is making a great mistake in forcing on the Payment of Members Bill, When they were elected the the salary was $l5O a year, and with out straining any point it can be logically held that they contracted to do the work (for that sum, It is not, therefore, altogether right of them to go behind that contract. At any sacrifice they ought to have carried it out. What. t|>ev ought to do, therefore is this: tuey ought to pass the Bill, but not bring it into force until after next election, By doing this they would be doing exactly the right thing, and no one could under any circumstances, accuse them of selfishness. As it is now it will be made a hustings cry of next election, and it will greatly damage the Government party. And «till it is not the fault of the Government. The thing has been forced upon them. Deputation after deputation, comprising Opposition members as well as their own supporters, have forced the matter on the Government, and of course they ha d to give in. The fact is, we suppose the members find that they cannot carry on with £l5O per session, ' and have been driven to the necessity of demanding more. If they can do good work we shall not begrudge it to them, but, honestly we think they should not take it,