THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1911. ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10305, 4 August 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1911. ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE BILL.

Sir William Steward ihas again- in--tixxtucedi an Elective Executive Bill in the House of Representatives, and the second, reading of the- Bill is set down for August 24th. It would not be surprising if, on the present 'occasion', the persistence of Sir Wil'Mam were rewarded by the Bill passing tflie Lower House. There wdiild, of course, be no hope of its getting through the Legislative Council. The Party system 'of government has/been grafted on to our Constitution so securely, that it would take a powerful lever to remove it. Everybody admits that the system is productive of gigantic evils. Everybody knows 'that the individuality of members is .subordinated to consideration's of expediency. There is. not, in fact, a redeeming feature about the Party system, unless it be the aggrandisement of the majority at .the expense of the minority. And yet the country holds on to the system with a tenaoity which is (amazing. For why? Because it is afraid to break ■away from the paths established by tradition. What reasonable objection is .there to an Elective Executive? The only tangible one that has been raised is that a Ministry composed of different shades of opinion 1 would bo lacking in cohesion, and consequently would not be able to carry on. But is not this- anticipating a contingency whiohi may not arise? Take the present Ministry as ian illustration. Gould a more heterogeneous j lot have been selected under any system of ballot ? There are

not two .members of the whole Ministry who •entertain idontical opinions on any number of -the great questions of the hour. And yet they seem to struggle along together. In any Cabinet there must, of necessity, bo mutual forbearance. Can it be suggested that the Hons. Millar and Carroll .favoured the .Gaming Bill, or tthe Hon. G. FowWis the Land Bill imtroduoed a couple of sessions, back ? If an .Elective Executive were substituted for -the present onenman Cabinet, the country would have the satisfaction of knowing that the administration of the great Departments of State was in. the hands of the most capable men offering. Under existing circumstances, far from possessing that satisfaction, it has to endure the (humiliation of men occupying positions in the Cabinet who have neither the confidence of the I House nor of the country. This is surely an unsatisfactory state of affairs. Men are sent to Parliament ostensibly 'to represent the views of iheir constituents. And yet, when the division boll rings, they 'are compelled' to vote, in many oases, not only, against the dictates of their own consciences, but again** .the best. interests of the country. Is there any warrant for the continuance of such a stats of things.* Why should not the country have Vho .benefit of the services of the very best w*n offering? Why .should one section ! of the community be penalised be- • cause it votes in a certain direction ? | Why should a Parliamentary system 1 be allowed to exist which hands over the destiny of the people to one or > two individuals ? These are questions which at once arise. They are questions which vitally concern the welfare of tihe Dominion. And they should be answered by the representatives, of the .people in 'a fearless and honest manner.