POLITICAL REFORM

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2671, 24 August 1889, Page 3

POLITICAL REFORM

TO THK EDITOR. Sin,—l resrnt not receiving Tuesday's numbor of Tun Waikaxq Times last \yeek, as probably it contained Mr Shepherd's letter, and from what Mr Itochn says about it, it arums to have been a good letter. In ynur Saturday's leading article yon truly speak of the hopelessness of expecting any Rood from tho present House of Representatives, and urfra the necessity for nn immediate dissolution. I f"' ir > however, that besides costing ;i lot of time, money and trouble, the result would bo disappointing, for it eooms to me that we are quito unprepared, with any deliiiite and practical policy and systematic organisation, to secure such an improved conduct of public affairs as would be satisfactory. I should like to see numerous settlors, committees or associations established all over the rural districts of the colony, not merely to talk of the value of manures or tho cultivation of turnips, but to become a great, political power. Theso associations would be federated to form chambers of agriculture in districts of convenient size, and those, again could coinbino to form central chambers of agriculture. Without some such organisation the rural interests, by far tho most important , ., and if united by far tho must powerful interests, arc politically the most impotent; for cities havo their chambers of commerce, miners and licensed victuallers' have their associations, and lawyers and typos have their societies, but the farmers are like sheep, ■horn for the benefit of others. Wβ must mako a beginning somewhere, and tho Farmers' Club at Cambridge is a fair start. Let every small district have its committee, simple, inexpensive and unostentatious in its constitution, but vigorous in its action and zealous for tho public good. Lot them well consider all matters affecting their interests, and then combine to ensure justice to theso by n common course of political action ; to form and educate public opinion, and by judicious and systematic organisation to secure, through the ballot-box, the purity and prudence of Parliament. No time should be lost, or the general election will bo on us, and we will be as unprepared as were the foolish virgins. I need not unduly oxtfind this letter by treating of public questions, but I may say, in reference to your article before mentioned, that in tho United Kingdom I found that people were more inclined to look to tho colonies for models for local government than you seem to suppose, when you urge us to imitate here what Mr Ritchie's Act applies to, quito a different state of affairs. It is like psking us to reproduce an imitation of a converted feudal custle of some Norman tyrant, with its dungeons and its discomforts, instead of in our new country erecting a new building suitable to the requirements and the comforts of modern civilisation.—Yours truly, Wμ. Akch. Mukkay. Mount Pleasant, 21st August, 18S9.

[We fail to see the application of Mr Murray's simile. England is the mother of Parliaments, and from her,not only the colonies, but America and most of the civilised world, have taken the pattern of constitutional and popular systems of government. \Vo said, "Something based on similar principles to Mr Ritchie's Act, and moulded to fit in with the particular circumstances of this colony," is needed. That principle if, enlarged powers to County Councils, a lessening "f the number of eiparnte local bodies, and consolidation of loc:il administration by decentralising. Can Mr Murray deny that we can copy that principle to advantage here? We are glad, however, he supports Mr Shepherd's views on political organisation.—El>. W. T.]