THE UPPER HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 900, 20 August 1910, Page 15

THE UPPER HOUSE.

QUESTION OF REPRESENTATION. . TOO MANY' CITY MEMBERS. Speaking in' the House of Representatives on Wednesday night, Mr. Newman, 31.1\ for Jlanawatu, emphasised the need for the more adequate representation of the country districts in the Upper House. Wellington, he said, had ten city members of that Chamber, and no country members. Then again Canterbury, had one country representative and six city members. Another instance was Otago, which had two country representatives and seven city representatives. The matter should, he held, engage the attention of tile Government when the matter of further appointments to the Legislative Council was being considered. "I am sick of hearing this cry of^ town versus country," commented Sir. G. W. Russell, 31.1'. for Avon, at a subsequent stage. Mr. l'ussell weut on to say that residents of the cities were not a kind of parasite living on the country settlers. It was quite time that Mr., Newman realised that without the men in the cities, who manufactured the row material and acted as bankers, etc., for them, the country settlers would have a very bad time; A legislative Councillor was not appointed because he was a resident of a city, but because he was specially qualified for the position. ■ ■ ■Mr. Laurensoii, M.1 , , for Lyttelton, said that out of thirty-nine members of the Upper House nine represented the primary industries, or about 25 per cent, of the Council. Those engaged in the agricultural and pastoral industry represent-' ed 24.30 per cent, of the population, so they were almost exactly represented. On the other hand, the industrial population was not proportionately represented, as they formed 31.13 of the whole- people, but had only sis representatives. Mr. Field (Otaki) urged that nevertheless the agricultural population • was not properly represented in view of the importance of the industry and tho manner in which the population was scattered all over the country. There were no representatives of Wellington'province outside Wellington; city, and many important inland towns. in tho. North Island had no representation. ; Mr. Herries (Tauranga) said that the Government should take into consideration the question as to whether gentlemen whom they were appointing to the Upper Hou.-e were likely to be real representatives of the district which they were presumed to represent. The troublo was that in a number of.instances Legislative Councillors.had upon appointment gone to reside in one- or other of the larger cities. Mr. Guthrie (Oroua) said the farming industry should be more fully represented in,, the Legislative. Council, lie could only find seven, representatives of the farming community .in the revising Chamber, viz., tho. Hoiia. Anstey, Kelly, M'Cardle, Marshall, Orniond,' Wi Pere, and TucTcer. ",.lle did hot wish to' raise tho cry'of town versus'country, nor did he think special representation- should be given to any particular class. At the same time he agreed with Mr. Field that tho West Coast of, the North Island certainly deserved consideration. The; Hon. K. M'Kenzio said he was surprised, that the Opposition should ■raise any complaint, seeing what was done- when they.were in power. Legislative Councillors represented not only their own district, but the whole Dominion. ' They were, however, not supposed to pull strings to secure Government' grants. As a matter of fact, they were the revising Chamber. Mr. Jennings fa former member of the Council): Are- they? .; \ ... Mr M'Kenzie: They were not much of a revising Chamber, for you. : • Afr.' Jennings: Ohl ■ Mr. M'Kenzio: There has been n distinct improvement in you since you came here. (Laughter.) ■