The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 679, 19 October 1876, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact m<ticc to *II men, Ot whatever state 01 ircriuaaiou, religiom ot politic I ***** Here shall tiic KresT tho People's right 111 I'UtIUII. Unancil hy mflurnce and nnbribcd by gain.

ravesDAY October io, 1876

]k there is one thing' m New Zen- , Iciud politics more incomprehensib'o to us than another, it is the existence of that collection of fossils known as the Legislative Council. A bull iv a china shop could not be more<ou. of place than a Chamber of nominee old fogies and brokeu down military swells iv tbe midst of essentially democratic institutions, such as those of this olony. Representing nothing and nobody but the sweet will of the Ministry to which each owed his appointment utterly regardless of the wishes of the people, so long as they can either advance the interests of the wealthier c'asses, gratify some political crotchet or try B*me interesting legislative experiment upon tho people of the Colony, the marvel is, that the ** Lords " (Heaven save the mark) have been tolerated so long. We can understand an Upper House, composed of heieditary Peers, in a country like England, or, a Council elected upon the bnsis of a high franchise, representing the propeity holders of the county, both being useful as checks to the too rapid | growth of that democratic spirit ( which, restrained and guided, leads to an enlighteued civilization, but, when suffered to run n'ofr, sweeps away tho landmarks of society, and plunges states into revolution and anarchy. But, how in the name of fortune a lot of men, called to the Upper House, from time to time, by/tha Ministry of the day, and many of them holding opinions completely antagonistic to the current of popular ideas, can have tho coolness to negative measures given for their approval by the peoples' representatives, is a depth of effrontery which wo fail to fathom. The latest instanco-of the calm " insouciance," and p.seudo dignity with which these " Councillors" negative measure of which .the country has approved, corned to as in tbe vform of an emasculation of the Counties 1 Bill, by cutting out the power of raising money for prosecuting the necessary works within the various counties. Now, 'we will not go into the question of the advisability, or other wise, of *the Government substitute for Provincial institutions. The House-of Representatives was elected upon the qucatkm of Abolition or Non-Abolition. The Abolition of Provinces Bill, l»st year, passed the ' Upp^r House" itself. This session the greate>t care is taken by the people 'a delegates in fashioning a riiibutitnte, »nd three month-s are npont in arriving at a conclusion which, now, is -to be virtually nubverted by a handful of men, not more than six of whom, probably, could find «i constituency to allow th<*m to represent it Tho whole 'hiug appears to us to be monstrous. Wo don' i v\ish to personally attack njtjie uld gwuLloiiion who, doubtleaa,

urf now glorying in tlio thfirubsiir.ljift.on is c.uisiiii^throu^!]ent the country, and fec-lmg that their pioceedings liavo ber'ii the salvation ol JN'ew Ze.il.iiul, but any one who h.\s the slightest knowledge of tho "CJeneiuls" and " Colone's," and that Bw.ii in of "Captains," and played-out old gentlemen who inhabit the " Lords" Chamber in Wellington, cannot V>nt join with us in denouncing a system which U,\s now placed the vesnit of two yeirs agitation at the mercy of men who represent neither the intelli gence nor the public opinion of t-h? Colony. Tljey tiist s.uiclion abolition, and tben, wiijiout sending any suggestion of their own to the liOwev House, negative the BHbstitute for existing institutious, which lias been conS uned by the people. We see plainly that the progress of modern political ideas necessitates cither the abo'ilion of an Upper Chamber, or the substitution for the present one of a body in some degree representing those who have to submit to their decrees, and bear the burden of their political mistakes.