Wanganui Chronicle, and TURAKINA & RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. SATURDAY, 8th MAY, 1869.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 1024, 8 May 1869, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle, and TURAKINA & RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. SATURDAY, Bth MAY, 1869.

John Stuart Mill, in his work on “Representative Government,” speaks of a vicious form of democracy, which, in our present circumstances, seems to apply as closely to New Zealand, as if the writer had brought it specially under review. After describing how the possessors of authority take too much upon themselves, we find him saying,—“These are the elements of a people of place-hunters ; in whom the course of politics is mainly determined by place-hunting ; where equality alone is cared for, but not liberty ; where the contests of political parties are but struggles to decide whether the power of meddling in everything shall belong to one class or another ; . . . where the more

popular the institutions, the more innumerable are the places created, and the more monstrous the over-government exercised by all over each, and by the executive over all.” People would do well to consider this state of things with a view to devising some remedy. Let it be carefully noted that “over-government” does not mean good government, but something very much the reverse. The best form of government is that which interferes the least with private and personal arrangements, and which, instead of meddling in everything, meddles with as few things as possible. The failure of our over-government may be seen in the single fact, with which we are but too familiar, that when brought face to face with difficulty or danger, the authorities cannot administer they cannot get out of the rut of routine—they will not shake off the lust of small patronage to their toad-eaters, which is the prostration of all true power and effective energy. Our rulers cannot administer, and as a baneful consequence the people will not obey. Toujours trap tard. Obedience to rightly constituted authority is as much a duty, and as much ennobles its performer, as any other necessary kind of work to which he may be called,—but who can obey rogues or fools, sots or sycophants 1 Until we can ripen a more healthy public opinion than we yet have, our rulers, in their efforts after constitutionalism, it is greatly to be feared, will very much resemble a lot of boys fruitlessly bobbing in a ’tub of water after the ’apple which persistently eludes their bite. We shall state the question as it appears to us in a single sentence. It becomes those who seek the peace and prosperity of the country to ponder over it. The Executive Government has lost [popular respect, because the politicians in whose hands it is have been willing to barter the legitimate influence which it was their duty to sustain for the continuance of power, which they were resolved at all liazarosto letam. .And the misfortune they have brought upon the country they have not even had the grace

to be sorry for. The evil will be cured only when men shall be placed at the head of affairs whose political convictions are stronger than their love of place and pay. It will do us no good—perhaps further harm —to change from one knot of selfseeking politicians to another. Yet this is very likely to be the immediate result, unless the House of Representatives will be prepared to take up a manlier and more patriotic tone than it exhibited last session.