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Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7363, 16 July 1889, Page 5

[.FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.i

WELLINGTON, July 15. Ministers were in Cabinec ino3t of yesterday dealing principally with the totra and country difficulty, and virtually decided as 1 wired you on Friday afternoon, that the new Representation Bill should provide for increasing the allowance to the country districts from IS to 25 per cent. No formal decision has yet been come to in respect to the amalgamation of city electorates, but this will be considered in Cabinet today, and probably a clause will be added to give ell'ect thereto. The feeling of the House seems certainly to be in favor of the amalgamation of city constituencies, and even should the Government measure not provide for so desirable a step some private member will move in that direction when the Bill is in Committee. The country members refuse to accept any allowance of less than 33J per cent., and troublesome times are looming, particularly as the maintenance of the quota will not be made a Ministerial question, the Cabinet having determined to leave the decision unreservedly to hon. members. It is expected that the town members will use every form of the House for the purpose of stonewalling the demands of country representatives, in the hope that the latter will finally be compelled to surrender by accepting a compromise now offered by the Government.