PARLIAMENTARY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3159, 13 August 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. REDUCTION OP ESTIMATES. Mr Bryce gave notice that on going into Committee of Supply he would more a further reduction of the departmental cost to the extent of £30,000, and that the Government be directed during the recess to give effect thereto by means of reduction of salaries, conslidation of offices, and otherwise. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, it -was stated that the Government were aware that the ownership of lands in the Thames district was passing from the natives to speculators, but they could not say it was being alienated to the prejudice of the mining interests, and they considered it necessary to push forward the purchase of certain freeholds from the natives ; aa yet no demand had been made for the establishment of a savings bant, &c, at Brunnerton, Grey Valley—if, however, the necessity existed the Government would be prepared to make the requisite arrangements ; section 30 of the Land Act, 1877, gave the necessary authority to remedy defects in the proposed mode dealing with the settling of runs in Soutland, under which incoming tenants were bound to pay one year's rent in advance for land which being open for free selection under sale and deferred payment, might be taken up before he could receive possession of it! the cost of connecting the lighthouse at Farewell Spit with Collingwood by telephone was bo great that the Governmjnt did not deem it expedient to undertake the work; the refund made to ex-Judges Harvey and Weston was in conformity with a resolution passed that where officers were dismissed the 10 per cent should be repaid—the amount paid to ex-Judge Harvey was £20, and to ex-Judge Weston £19, the latter being paid on the 31st of July last, but it was not the intention of the Government to make eimilar concessions to other public servants simply on their application, for the same ; native matters in the Middle Island were ■under the supervision of Alexander Mackay, and for the translation of documents ample provision would be made by the appointment of licensed interpreters; the Government would be nrepared to take steps for securing a supply of water fit for domestic purposes for the people resident at Moeraki; the Government had not yet determined to impose the same duty on maize as was imposed on other cereals, but if they decided upon doing so the proposal would be brought down in the Tariff Bill, which would be ready next week ; the grounds •upon which the Government gave their assent to the introduction of the Timaru Harbor Board Bill were that it contained other besides endowment proposals, and they did not desire to burke discussion on the subject—the flood of Harbor Board Endowment Bills since then was such that they would swallow up a very large portion of the Crown lands, and it was on the ground of policy that the Government refused assent to them. NEW DILI;. The Patea Harbor Board Borrowing and Bating Bill was introduced by Major Atkineon and read a first time. SECOKD READINGS. The Prisons Act, 1873, Amendment Bill, the Public Domains Bill, the Inspection of Machinery Bill, the Friendly Societies Bill, and the Parliamentary Privileges Bill were read a second time. BILLS COMMITTED. The Public Reserves Bill, and the East Coast Land District Bill passed through committee. BILLS PASSED. The Public Eeserves Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. The House adjourned at 5.30. The House resumed at 7.30. BEPEESRNTATION BILL. Mr Hall moved the second reading of the Representation Bill. He referred to the various measures of electoral reform which had been passed during the present Parliament and which he hoped would yet pass. The present measure, he said, was the crowning one to place the representation of the people on a satisfactory footing. Redistribution was periodically necessary owing to the unequal growth of population in a young country. He strongly eulogised Hare's system of representation as the most perfect, and expressed a hope that he would live to see it adopted in this colony, but he admitted that it was at present in advance of public opinion. All they could do therefore was to equalise the representation under the present system. As to the number of members, it should depend, not on any arbitrary rule, but rather on the consideration of how the colony could be conveniently divided into electorates within reasonable limits. The House should be made to suit the electorates, not the electorates to suit the House. Eeviewing the arguments advanced against too small or too large a House, he maintained that the bill before the House proposed a fair medium. The country could be divided into 91 electorates. In proportion to the population this number was lower than it had been in

former periods in this colony. The leading principle o f tno W]l wag repl . cse ntation in proportion to population. He know of no other pi'incJplo which could bo adopted as a j IOWOve r it might bo desirable to modify if, \yy o th ei . considerations. The nutiirc o f t;l) ese qualifying considerations lie dwelt on a ( } somo length. .As nearly as possible it was proposed ns a first step to S IVO each provincial district representation in proportion to population. lie regretted that this would largely reduce the representation of Nelson and Westland. Nelson, however, would still have a fraction moro than it was ontitled to. The Chinese population was not taken into account in the one island nor the Maori population in the other. Parliament had already granted exceptional representation to tho Maori people, and therefore they could not be fairly taken into account in apportioning tho European representation, nor could they fairly be so until the bulk of the natives bore their fair share of taxation and obeyed our laws. If they were entitled to additional representation it should bo by native members, not by Europeans. He urged a variety of reasons why the country districts should have larger proportionate representation than the centres of population. He admitted that a good deal might be said on both sides of the question of single electorates, bub the balance of the argument was, he thought, in favor of such electorates, as the House had rejected the proposal that in districts entitled to three members there should be a representation of the minority by only giving each elector two votes. He read a long memorandum on the proposed changes in the representation and districts. He claimed that the bill was a fair and just one, and he hoped that no mere local feeling ■would be allowed to prejudice its consideration. He moved tho second reading of the bill. Mr Grisborne moved, as an amendment, that in the opinion of the House it was not desirable that population should be the sole basis of representation, and that the system of single electorates was unsatisfactory. He urged that the situation, character, and pursuits of the population of the various parts of the colony should be considered, as well as their number, and he quoted figures relating to representation in Great Britain to Bhow how unfairly a pure population basis would operate. He objected to nearly 600 armed constabulary being included in estimating the population on which the Taranaki representation was estimated. If Nelson would only revolt, and get up an insurrection which would require a large force to be sent to quell it, it would be entitled to retain its present representation. The goldfields, he contended, were entitled to a large proportion of representation, owing to the large number of adult males there located. That meant a large proportion of taxpayers. It was most unjust to reduce the representation of Westland as was proposed. The productive power of a district should also be considered, and on that ground also Westland was entitled to more representation. Single electorates, he contended, intensified ruther than reduced the evil of non-representation of large minorities. What was wanted in this colony was an elastic system of representation, which would adjust itself to varying circumstances. He disclaimed all party feeling in proposing his amendment. Sir George Grey said he attached very little importance to the details of representation while all the work of the representatives was subject to review by a nominated Chamber. Instead of discussing mere details he would like to see all their energy and power devoted to a grand struggle for the right to determine their own form of government. With the details of the bill he could not agree, but the spirit of representation according to population he would support, although he, did so without hope. He held that the opinions of the majority of the people should rule and govern the country. Sir William Fox said he could have listened with pleasure to such eloquent appeals on behalf of the struggling liberties of the masses had lie been able to believe in Sir George Grey's sincerity, but remembering tho terrible struggle in which he (Sir William Fox) and the early settlers had been so bitterly engaged against Sir George Grey when he was Governor in the effort to obtain the smallest possible amount of liberty; remembering also the tyranny and slanders of Sir George Grey towards the early colonists, he could not patiently sit still and hear him come forward as the champion of the liberties of the people. There was no sincerity in Sir George Grey's eloquent professions. A later proof of this was to be found in Sir George Grey's conduct when Premier in regard to the Electoral Bill, whicli both branches of the Legislature passed, but which, he tore tip. It would be the same if he got into power again. He (Sir William Fox) gave his approval to the bill before the House as a step in tho right direction, especially the system of single electorates which would tend to localise representation. Mr Sheehan defended Sir George Grey from Sir William Fox's attack, and replied warmly to it. He declared that the present bill was really Sir George Grey's bill, and the bill of his party, afid that the Government brought it in unwillingly. The Government were dragging Sir George Grey's chariot wheels, and the coming elections would show that the people of the colony, especially of the North, still had full confidence in Sir George Grey. It was impossible to. wipe him out. He (Mr Sheehan) could not give the bill his support. It was not a fair distribution on a population basis, as the natives were not included, although they paid more taxation in proportion than Europeans did. On a fair basis the North Island should have six more members, and the boundaries of the districts should have been left to tho members for the several provincial districts, The proposed division would certainly not suit Auckland. Unless tho just claims of the North to representation according to population were granted there would come a demand for separation between the two islands of such a character as no Governmeni could resist. Mr Hursthouso strongly opposed the proposals of the bill as affecting Nelson, and urged that population was not in itself a fair basis of representation. Mr Collins also opposed the bill. Mr Moss spoke at considerable length against the bill as being unjust to the North. Mr Hurst also opposed the bill on the ground of its injustice to the North, which had already suffered sufficiently from Southern domination. Mr Gibbs moved the adjournment of the debate, which was agreed to, and tho House rose at 1.5.