LEGISLATIVE REFORMS.

Evening Star, Issue 7179, 5 April 1887, Page 1

LEGISLATIVE REFORMS.

As the date fixed for the expiration of Parliament approaches, quite a deluge of projected reforms is being poured forth by members anxious to propitiate public favor. jThe/vreduction of the .honorarium and the reduction of the number of members are the two points chiefly, affected by those who desire to gain a little cheap popularity, well knowing that there is. not the slightest hope of the Honorarium Act being amended or repealed, and it) is to be feared only faint hopethat ; the number of memberawill be reduced, .present system of 'local representation. ,lon ojher quarters the HARB-aystem is being advocated, and 'certainly some modified form of that system ' might be' adopted with great benefit to the country. It is admitted ore all hands.that localism is the besetting sin bf the Wew Zealand Parliament," thbugn 'probably it is neither worse nor better;/than other colonial .Parliaments in this- respect. But 'h6¥''ciin'' : it I be otherwise when members are chiefly valued, not because of their, , or: public utility, but for what public money they can contrive to get appropriated for their districts. This is. decidedly the weak point of the present system; It is useless for'iiy member,|ol set himself in oppositiontO'the sail with the or risk of being Stranded, .at the next election. The question then state of ; atiMrs meSdfed'^brjAvoidedt—and the cate an amalgamationoffjelectorates as ,£he] remedy. of the •now generally of splitting up the towns (into single electorates, it is a mistakfjto divide the rural and mining districts as at present. To apply Hake's system in its full proportions would - scarcely answer in New Zealand, where the people in the Northland South Islands, and even in different parts of the same B&ndi are? sp lftlle 7kn|pt to each other. iThe*' same do not, however, apply tc« makhTEg>"«awsh provincial, district ,an returning '■•' its 'dotted quota of members $a : a change in the election would. inevitably eradicate the localism so generally deprecated; may be assuined that; ais a-Jrule," more capable men -would be chosen for the r post of representative* and*that;the>'consideration of tiie welfare of com* nmnity: would mere local interests m the i.conSacils of the lCo|ony.Y fc lti';pucli lease of proportional has already wpipild pjsb£bly.^ tion. "Iherßystjem; M jrapdjfegaining in popular favor at Home,*wb'ere single electorates do-not appear tpjiave given any more satisfaction than they have here. Another advantage-that would result from provincial electorates would be the removal; objections to tlie reduction of the number of as these do, mainly from tb£kti*g% extent of country in which a i'Sufiicient population to quota reside. And *&.,> further objection to a population basisjcnamely, that * the . jropniation , towns comprises iai larger **pro|j6rfion of women, and Tchildrenvthamiiat of the' country, wttald because...towii' would ha , bound 'together, ..electorate. For all these reasons it seems desirable 'to; take; and instead,of wasting pubUcViuofiindispute^always 1 nious— all the electorates in each provincial dis"trictrbewelded into onej-*nd~thebest men be brought forward to represent ; &e commWinteresfc 1 *? a:)vr *

As to the female franchise, which weriare told is'rnotTatf(&ißn»ment measure,, but will be introvlced as a private Bill by Sir J, Vogek and Mr BkMAsrcE, it is purely a piece of fancy legislation,, and. ye feel inclined toclass it with the 6ther bids for popularitywhieh*are being made in anticipation nf Whilst there may* not be /anjr graaj ohjfictiottto admitting'^unniiMslS"women and the ownerSf- of a pTojftrty in their owA -right there are many why the privilege, if indeedifclfe one in such cases, should no£ ,l>¥ Indiscriminately extended to 1 all. is not desirable to length. It seems sufficient to, point] £ss that a married woman who* vote against her husband's , pet (candidate and if she were to directed the result would simply be to endow him with two votes—his owa and that of his wife. But it may "be expected that every fanciful crudity will be dragged the discussion which will ensue over the Eepresentation Bill, and it will be well if it comes - out of the struggle vi 4ven a tolerably satisfactory shape. *£*