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Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2128, 23 October 1896, Page 2

To those outside of the House of Representatives, who take an interest in New Zealand, the close of the Parliamentary session will be a relief. Our representatives have made political history that will not redound to the credit of the colony. A perusal of ' Hansard ' Is too painfully convincing that the New Zealand Parliament is fact degenerating into a babble of modified Billingsgate. Interruptions, interjections, and unqualified contradictions bristle in almost every page of ' Hansard,' and in this respect both sides of the House of Representatives are alike transgressors—the " House of Wrauglers " would be a fitting designation for our Legislature, which may justly be regarded as the concentrated bile of the State. Each measure introduced has been regarded more in the light of affording means for recrimination than for desirable reform. The institution which, above all others, should be eiemplary in debate, is fast forfeiting the respect of colonists of all shades of political opinion ; and yet the Premier has the effrontery to refer " with pride to the New Zealand Parliament as holding the premier position in Australasia for conducting its business with decorum." Full to satiety with the vilification of each other, onr representatives, in the expiring hours of probably the most discreditable session in the annals of the colony, must needs expend their rancour ia the denunciation of others. The Government and local property valuers have been specially selected for the gratification of the members' spleen. The valuers of the future must be " men of standing,', " men with characters to lose," '• men highly paid, and beyond the power of corrupt influence," " men above suspicion." Ye Gods, where do such exist? To what particular grade of society must we look to find such mortals ? In Australasia, the past decade has indisputably proved that social position is in no sense a guarantee of integrity. Confidence in the honour of the upper grades of colonial society has too frequently resulted in the ruin and despair of the credulous. In this connection, New Zealand has distinguished itself. The ability to dissemble seems to be the most highly valued qualification in connection with the msnagement of our financial institutions. Prestige is prostituted for the furtherance of nefarious practices; the highest civil positions in the land debased ; honor, sincerity, and conscience are sacrificed at the shrine of Mammon. —i————————■