REPRESENTATION OF MINORITIES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8485, 17 May 1893, Page 3

REPRESENTATION OF MINORITIES.

TO TUB EDITOR OP THE PRESS. Sir, —I "was pleased to read the letter from "F. A. A.," because, while provoking discussion, it seems to have been written with the object of enabling mc to make an effective reply. ' I r?ai*« flpperjriroent as any m&iy but as long as it exists let "us make the beßt of it. Since writing my former letter, it has occurred to mc that my plan is virtually that adopted in the American presidential election. Let mc, however, discuss some of "F.A.A.'s" objections. - "We must afford them an unlimited supply of candidates from which to select." That is just what I want to do. But wo differ as to the method. Where six candidates, all representing different interests, I contest a seat there is a great probability that the winner will be returned by a minority of electors; even where there are three on each side the man returned is usually in a large minority. Npwi I want Liberals to vote for the best Liberals procurable, unci the Conservatives to do the same; and I want to eliminate what "F. A. A." wants to preserve—-the local element. I think it monstrous that the colony should be iv danger of losing, say, Sir John Hail's services because of his views ou the sizo of mesh used in flounder nets on Lake Ellesuiere. *'F. A. A." would invest fifty fishermen with the power to reject a possible Premier, and so it may be to change the whole course of our colonial policy. At the same time local interests would still be represented under my system.. Kaiapoi would look to Mt Moore, Avon to Mr Blake, and so on; then as now. Let us glance again at the case of Wales. My system would return twelve Conservatives and twenty-two Liberals, instead of three and thirty-one, or a majority of ten instead of twenty-eight. Apply this to the whole of the United Kiugdom, and the chances of the Home Rule may undergo considerable modification, though it is true that Little Peddlington may go short of a post office or a town pump. And I protest again against local peculiar it i**sbeing allowed or encouraged to assume importance in connection with colonial affairs. We have our City Councils, our Borough Councils; our County Councils, our Harbour Boards, our Education Boards, our Road Boards, River Boards, &c, ad infinitum, and if these are unable to manage our purely local affairs, or to make proper representations to Parliament when necessary, well more shame for them and for us.

Reverting to my previous letter, and of course dealing with party Government as as long as it exists " F. A.A." has carefully kept clear of details. I say let us show how many in a given subdivision are supporters of either aide, and at the coming election tbe issue is surely clear enough. Then if out of twenty seats twelve should go one way and eight another, let each side nominate candidates, as many as tbey like, and vote for the best of them. Our Hulls and oar Rollestons will then be infallibly returned, together with the pick of their followers. We may make our districts large or small, but the smaller the district the greater will be the injustice, as

we cannot cut candidates up into sixteenths. If **F. A. A." can suggest a bettor scheme; by all means let him do so, but to continue single electorates, and to arra-ige us he suggests that each oue shall bo contested by a swarm of candidates, is simply to intensify the evils which I am anxious to cure.— Yours, „c,