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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 67

Personal Representation a Constitutional Right

Personal Representation a Constitutional Right.

But, however much opinions may differ upon the subject of the due representation which men and property may, upon any grounds, claim in the Old Country, there can surely be little divergence in this new one from the principle that human beings, and they only—not sheep, cattle, broad acres, or money—should have representation, and those human beings just in proportion to their numerical strength. It is not deemed necessary to devote any space to the maintenance of this as the basis of New Zealand Parliamentary representation. In our whole political system, from the first Constitution Act, throughout all our legislation on the subject, down to our latest Representation Act (1887), it is provided for and insisted upon. This being so, it might naturally be supposed that our electoral machinery would all be so constructed as to assist towards the due fulfilment of the terms of the principle adopted as a basis. By a strange combination of circumstances, however, it page 13 so happens that the machinery devised has in reality, the more it has been 'improved" from time to time, been the efficient means of destroying, almost entirely, the very principle of personal representation which it was designed to further. In some instances these "improvements" were palmed off upon a sleepy, politically-ignorant people by politicians who, Tories at heart, believed that the only right possessed by the people was "that of being well governed," but "not to take part in the Government;" while, in other cases, the innovations were made by men, honestly democratic in intention, but who thought they were best securing the interests of the people in departing somewhat from a rigid line of theoretic perfection of representation.