Correspondence. Correspondents' opinions are not necessarily ours. ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 23, 20 July 1899, Page 3

Correspondence. Cor respondents' opinions are not necessarily ours. ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE.

(to the editor.) Sir.,— As the question of an elective executive is one that will be prominently befoie the electois duung the coming Par. hameutaiy election, it is desirable that as much light as possible should be thrown upon >£. The idea existing in some minds th<H yaihainent would have less eonkol ovur an elected Ministry than over one which may be unseated by members crossing the fioor of the House is fallacious. Clause 10 of the Elective Executive Bill (Majoi Steward) piovides that "at any lime dining the sitting of Parliameat a ■Kite upon the proposal, that the whale executive or any member or members theicof elected by the House of Kepresentalives be lemoved from office, may be demanded by lequisition to the speaker of such House, signed by not less than twenty-five members thereof." This clause gives the House complete control ovei the executive ; at present the House ii controlled by the Ministry, and the Min'stry is manipulated by the Premier. Iv glace of this Government by one

man and an inveitebrate party, an elected executive would give us Government by our repiesentatives, with the mtst suitable men as administrators. The piesent system of Party Government, under which members state that while in opposition to the pioposal under discussion they intend to vote for it in the inteiests o* their paity, is degrading. The interests, of the colony aie sacirficed to an iniquitous system, which is a saicasm on good Government and a disgrace to a democratic country. Under the pioposcd system of an elected executive, measuies and not men would leceive the support of the legislators. As each member of the elected executne would stand or fall by himself he would do his utmost to so conduct his depaitment that it should le'lound to his oiedifc. If Mi John McKenzie were Minister for Lands, the fact that Captain Rusc;el held the poitfolio for Bail ways would not affect the administration of piogiessiog land laws. The membeis of the executive need not aigne with each other on measuies before the House for theie would be no Government measuies; the duty of the mini&try would not be to miioduce legislation, but to administer depaitments. The sj stem h«,s been in foice in Switzerland and in one of the Amencan states for many years, with most satisfac tory lesults. The pioposal is a policy measure of the Premiei of South Australia, who has just been leturned to office for the thiid time. Our iepresentati\es at present elect two impoitant olficeis— the Speaker and the Chairman of Committees —why should they not elect the Cabinet Ministers ° — I am, etc., P.L.A.