POLITICAL NOTES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4904, 3 May 1887, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

Israelii TO DAILY TELEGRAPH. J

[OWN COBBESPONDENT —BY TELEGBAPH.]

Wellington, Last night. MEETING OF COUNTRY MEMBERS

ON THE REPRESENTATION BILL.

A meeting of country members, to consider the Representation Bill was held at Parliament buildings this afternoon. Prosent : Messrs Hursthouse, McMillan, Thompson, Bruce, Hamlin, Fergus, Stewart, Cowan, Moat, Fulton, White, Monk, Pyke, O'Callaghan, Duncan, Reid, Pearson, Butter, Scobie McKonzie, Kerr, Cadman, Connolly, Dobson, J. S. Buckland, W. F. Buckland, and Hobbs. Mr Pyke was in the chair. The Chairman briefly introduced the subject, and a desultory conversation followed, the general feeling being that the subjeot should bo treated quite apart from any party ooneideration; that details should not be discussed; and that no attempt should be shown in anyway to dictate to the Government ; that the object of the mooting should be to obtain fair justice for the country districts in tho interests of tho whole country. The following resolutions were then put and carried unanimously:— Moved by Mr Bruce, seconded by Mr Reid, "That in the opinion of this meeting tho Representation Bill as at present drawn does not provide for the sufficient representation of the country districts." Moved by Mr Scobio McKenrie, seconded by Mr Hursthouse, " That no Representation Bill will be satisfactery which gives less representative power to country districts than that onjoyed by them under tho Act of 1881."

Moved by Mr Scobie MoKcnzio, seconded by Mr D. Reid, " That a deputation be appointed to wait on tho Government to communicate tho above."

The following members were appointed a deputation :—Messrs D. Reid, Scobie McKcnzie, Steward, Pearson, o'Calln.ghan, Hursthouse, and the Chairman (Mr Pyke). At four o'clock the deputation proceeded to tho Premier's office to interview Ministers on the subject dealt with in the motions above, but up to the present nothing has transpired as to the result of the interview. It is generally felt that the matter, not boing considered a party question, the Government- will agree to the wishes of the deputation, and forego the per oontage principle at present contained in the bill. An understanding will at any rate probably be arrived at by which the Government will agree to the per centage Aenso of tho Aefe being amended. There is, however, a wide difference of opinion as to what the per centage—so far, of course, as the country districts are concerned—should he, and the country members generally express an epinion that tho per oentage mentioned in tho bill is absurdly inadequate. Others express the opinion that the Representation Bill is a kind of trick, inasmuch as it proposes concessions to country districts of twenty and fifteen per cent, according to their population per thousand acres, but the net result is to give the country districts an advantage of only three and a half per cent., whereas in 1881 their were allowed (not in the Act, but in the actual carving of the districts) at least twenty-fivo per cent. Tho bill, in short, adde under 20,000 people to the country districts, whereas they had between 70,000 and 80,000 in 1881, and if the same proportion were still allowed the country districts would now have not far short of 90,000 people added. This day. MR BRACKEN'S MOTION.

Considerable dissatisfaction exists regarding Mr Bracken's notice of motion re coeroion in Ireland.

It is rumored that when tho motion comes on the "previous question" will be moved. How true that may be I cannot Say ' REPRESENTATION BILL.

The Times this morning makes an absurd statement to the effect that, there will be a fight over the Representation Bill between the town and country members. When it is shown that there are sixty-two country members opposed to the Bill as at present drawn, against twenty-nine town members, who are ready to support the percentage clause of the Bill, it will be understood there cannot be s. very great fight. The general opinion is that the Government, acting on the advice of their own supporters, will compromise the matter, following the precedent they established in the previous sessions respecting the tariff proposals and other questions. It is quite certain; - at any rate, the bill cannot pass with present percentage provisions. The deputation appointed at yesterday's meeting did not succeed in getting an interview with Ministers last evening. They have arranged for an interview this morning.

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