The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News. MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1875,

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1759, 4 October 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1875,

£«x th» cause that lackg ikaal.tsHios, ?or the wrong tint needij resl«t»?<;a S'sr th« fmturo in the distkni*, AaS«we»o4th»4w«ic*n'd«.

It is not exaggeration to slay that the proposed Bill for amending the'representation of the colony is the most shameless thing that has characterised the present administration. It will be interesting to note the arguments of its defenders, for defended it certainly will be ; for what on earth,, we ask,is the use in a Government subsidising and supporting newspapers if they desert it in such a case as this ? It is not our purpose to ask our readers to follow us in an exhaustive analysis of the present position of the Representation pf the Colony, which this precious measure is inteadefl to amend. But there are a few points in connectiorr\vith. it that should be imprinted on every mind. By an equal division of representatives to population, each member should have 700 electors. Yet the member for Wallace has 103, and Wallace is not "amended." The special of the Cross says, that " the Government very properly eschews readjustment of districts which would have created many howls among not a few,members." To have set the member for " Wallace" howling would never have done. In fact it would have been the grossest of ingratitude after the unwavering service rendered during the session by that honorable member. The Southern district also of Totara numbers 143 electors, and in equity, therefore, i 3 entitled to a little over the one. fifth part of a member. Yet Totara is not amended, to avoid the "howling" of Mr. Tribe. And the Thames electorate has 3,466 electors, to its solitary member. It indeed is amended in so far as to give it a second member. But if the amendment had been such as to give it equal measure of justice with that meted to Wallace, the Thames should have had thirty-three members and a half ; or if given representation in the proportion to electors enjoyed by Totara, the

Thames should have received twenty-four members and a fourth. Or coming to the more reasonable demand of representation in accordance with the average of the colony -^one member to about 700 electors—the Thames Bhould have had five representatives. We hope the Thames people feel happy with the requital they receive from the Genera, Government. They danced to the Govern, ment's piping, and having so much confidence, as we are told they have, in the purity and . justice of all that emanates from the centr- 41,

authority, they are bound to admit the righteousness of the intentions of Pollen and Co to-them-wards in the matter of representation. As under Abolition, all our affairs are to be transacted at Wellington, the existing, and the proposed amended state of the representation of the various parts of the colony, and the relative influence of North and South, all contribute to give great confidence in the rectitude and impartiality of future administration ; which, on the authority of the special of the Cross, we may conclude is to be "very properly" moulded in accordance with the " howling" of mem bers.