The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1891.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 33, 9 February 1891, Page 2

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

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1891.

For the causa that lacks assistance, For the ■wrons that needs resistance, Jor the futsra la the distance, tetd the gooa iliat we can do.

The statistical results of the last general election have been . embodied in a parliamentary return, arid some of the figures give rise to curious speculations regarding the political life of the country and the representative character of the sitting members of Parliament. Since the preceding election in [887, there has been a large increase in the number of voters on the rolls, the total in iB9o being 183.171, as compared with 175,410 ihree years ago —an increase of 7,761. The votes recorded, however, exhibit a still greaterincrease, numbering j 50,025 against 111,911 in 1887. The uncontested constituencies m the two periods represtnted a difference of roll strength amounting to 5,061 voters ; but if we deduct the whole of these irom the 1890 total, there were still 33,053 more votes recorded at the last general election than in that of 1887.

The intensified political activity indicated by these figures was, however, displayed very unequally over the colony, and, strange to say, greater apathy seems to have been manifested in Auckland than in any of the other great cities. This is not merely true of the votes recorded on the polling day, but also applies to the registration of voters. Out of a population of 29,111 in the city there were only 6,788 names on the roll, and 9,457 recorded their votes for seven candidates, while in the city of Wei lington, with a population of 28,617, the roll number was 8,786, and 15,816 voted for eight candidates. The population of the city of Christchurch, just twenty-six more than that of Auckland city electorate, had 1,618 more voters on the roll, and the number of votes recorded on the day of polling for six candidates exceeded by 1,618 the supporters of the six gentlemen who wooed the Auckland electors. In Dunedin the excitement on the day of election seems to have been worked up to the highest pitch, and it will be seen from the following comparative statement of the numbers recorded, that candidates, political committees, and electioneering agents in the North have still a good deal to learn : — Popula- Names Total tion. on Roll. votes rec'ded. Auckland ... 29,111 6,788 9,457 Dunedin ... 29,154 . 9,126 15,134 There were seven candidates in Auckland and six in Dunedin. The aggregate votes recorded, considering the agencies presumably at work to bring men to the poll, ought to have been greater ab Auckland than ab Dunedin. The election contributes a full quota to the standard arguments in iavour of the Hare system. In the Bay of Islands, for example, the.siiting member was elected by only 465 votes out of a total of 1,656 recorded. Mr F. H. *D. Bell, of Wellington, having 2,299 votes in his favour, was rejected, while Dr. Newman became member for the Butt with only 680 votes. Taking all the constituencies together, however, the present Parliament is more representative of the people than the last one. The number of votes recorded for sitting members was 88,150, while the votes given for defeated candidates were 61,875, a difference of 26,285 in favour ot the men who were declared elected. At the previous election the votes recorded for sitting members numbered 60,052, while the defeated candidates polled 51,859, leaving an excess of 8,193 only on the side of the members who won the seats. In individual cases, of course, there are numerous instances in which the member may be said to represent only half the constituency, The Premier himself only polled twentyseven votes more than his opponent, while Mr Hutchison became member for Waitotara with a majority of 22. i'fce majority 'was that of" Mr Keevesi of Inavigahua, who won by one voteY I)bt MflHarirriess "became a member by a majority of fifteen, Mr Wright

with sixteen, Mr Hogg with eighteen, and Mr Guinness with nineteen.