PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 178, 28 July 1903, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Monday. BEAUTIES OF THE NORTH. : * Mr Mander, the member for Marsdeiij has been urging on Mr Donne, head of the Tourist Department, the advisability of devoting the attention of tourists to the scenic beauties of the Wim*. ngarei district, Hokianga, and the Northern Wairoa. Mr Donne agreed to send a representative of the ..department to the districts with the .object of securing a series of photographic views'.the display of which in better known resorts would, he considers, have. ; an encouraging effect on the tourist traffic, MR, FOWLDS' ELECTORAL SCHEME.

Mr George Fowlds' Proportional Reprenestation and Effective ..Voting Bill a modification of the Hare system, M-** been circulated. The bill provides for the division of the colony'into six districts—the Auckland, Wellington,; Canterbury and Otago provinces being each. counted' as one district, the Hawke's; Bay and Taranaki provinces as one, an.! the Marlborough, Nelson and WestlaiMfc' provinces districts also as one. Each district shall be represented in. proportion to its population, and each elector is to have one vote only. The Hate system of numbering the candidates m order of preference is followed, the. counting of votes being carried, out as provided under the same system.: Thfc bill, if it became law, might have the effect of increasing the membership 01 the House, for though it provides for the division of the population of each-, district by 70, the number of members to be elected, it also states that m any' district where the fraction in division exceeds half the dividend an additional member shall be elected. THE "TRADE" DEPUTATION. The deputation of the "trade"to wait on the Premier to-morrow will be about,--. I ™. stromv, Canterbury alone contributing 40. The principal"requests of the deputation will he compensation lo publica' 1 * when licenses are lost through no faf* of their own, uniform hour of closi»b at eleven in the cities, and ten in cO-lß ' try districts, and application of a cla- 1 ' of"the English Act making persons ft l " 1 * on licensed premises during P r / )lllbl t !, hours equally responsible with * licensee. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT. The Land Purchase Board has dco'djj to recommend the Government to I 1 chase Clive Grange estate, ten 1,-I |\ from Napier, for close settlement. ;l-