PARLIAMENT AND PETITIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9179, 31 August 1908, Page 4

PARLIAMENT AND PETITIONS.

In the "Sydney Morning Herald," Mr H. W. Lucy makes some sadly cynical remarks about Parliamentary petitions. The right to petition Parliament is regarded as one of the bulwarks of our o liberty, and no doubt many signatories picture members of Parliament giving long, earnest, and even sleep-destroying consideration to their prayers. The past English session was memorable for the huge petitions presented. First there was Lord Robert Cecil's 600,000-signature one against the Licensing Bill, which, dono up in several parcels, had to be

handled by six attendants. Compared with this. Mr John Wilson's 169,000 signatures in favour of the Bill suffered somewhat in effect. Proceedings on June 15th were opened with the presentation of a great petition containing 610,000 Wesleyan signatures in favour of the Bill. Mr Lucy says the building up of these monster petitions involve a vast amount of trouble and no inconsiderable expense, yet it is a melancholy fact that petitions have no more effect on the doings of the House of Commons than would result from the blowing of a feather from the Strangers' Gallery. There was a time when a petition was a really serious thing, for a member presenting one had the right of raising debate. The custom was much abused and was abolished. Now, even the text of a petition is rarely read in the House.