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THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT YOUR FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1880.

Caucuses appear to be taking the place of Parliament, as nearly every business transacted on behalf of the Colony is done by means of a caucus. Any subject the discussion of which might be derogatory to v the representative in Parliament is tabooed, and is carried on with closed doors by a caucus. The power of these councils has become manifest in England, where, however, the frequency of their being held is far less than here. Speaking of caucases the Wellington Evening Post says:—" Under this system a resolute and skilful minority might exeroise a very objectionable domination in Parliament. Supposing parties to be almost equally divided (as last session), and a small majority of the winning side insisted on a certain proceeding to which tbe minority, feeling in caucus that they were outnumbered, gave in their adhesion, while a majority of the opposite side, although averse to the measure, similarly agreed not to oppose it, clearly the result would be that a majority of one side only, and a minority of the House, might impose their will on a large adverse majority of Parliament and the people. If the respective sides numbered forty-four and fourty-three, and twenty-three of the forty-four advocated in caucus a particular course, to which the twentyone reluctantly agreed, rather than split up the party, and if twenty-two of the forty-three Opposition were against " active opposition for fear of seeming obstructive, the other twenty-one giving in rather than split up that party, it follows that the twenty-three are able to dominate the other B'xty-four. That this is no idle charge was demonstrated by Sir George Grey's accession to power in 1877, which was brought almost wholly in that way, and against the manifest wish of the House. It amounts to this— that caucuses are steadily. superseding Parliament as the real governing power in the country, much in the same way as local governing bodies do all that they possibly can, 'in Committee' as it is euphemistically termed (really in secret conclave free from the hampering reitraints of publicity). There is danger

not only to the gouerai welfare, but even to liberty itself, in this growing tendency towards Government by caucuses and Royal Commissions. No one can tell how soon an occasion might ariso when this elaborate system of unconstitutional conclaves might be skilfully twisted into an engine of oppression as potent as the j historical oligarchy of Venice. The people of New Zealand will have to be watchful that their liberties and privileges are not ' royal commissioned,' and •caucused' away altogether." The allusion to (he sittings in committee is applicable to the Borough and County Councils of the Thames, as when anything occurs of public interest, the august individuals forming the Councils resolve into committee, and so the larger part of their doings never reach the eyes of the public. Indeed, if report speaks correctly, the Councils would not like everything they said or did made public, but if they act wisely and sincerely in the cause of the people, and not to grind their own axes, what need have they to maintain such secrecy P With Government taking the lead and countenancing caucusses, the lesser lights in the political heaven of course follow their example. If the country is in a precarious condition, is it not better to let people know at once, rather than let things go from bad to worse, and keep Her Majesty's subjects in New Zealand in ignorance of the real state of affairs ? If honesty and integrity in Ministers and Councillors is at such a low ebb that they are afraid to show themselves in their true colors, Heaven only knows what the next difficulty will be we shall have to face. Parliament are conducting our affairs, and representatives are merely our servants, every bit as much as the Foreman of Works of the Borough Council, and we have a right to know everything they do, and to see if they perjure themselves by expressing one opinion in caucus, and voting against their opinions in the open. If Parliament are afraid to let their actions in caucus be proclaimed, then in the name of all that is good and just let them give place to men who are not afraid to let their actions be examined by the most searching microscopic lens in existence.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS18800709.2.6

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3599, 9 July 1880, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
739

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT YOUR FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1880. Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3599, 9 July 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT YOUR FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1880. Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3599, 9 July 1880, Page 2

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