THE REPRESENTATION PROPOSALS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 77, 8 December 1887, Page 2

THE REPRESENTATION PROPOSALS.

A. wire from oar Wellington Correspondent states that the proposal to reduce the number of members from ninety-five to seventy from the first dissolution of Parliament, as provided for in the Representation Bill has been lost bv 36 to 31 votes. The means that have to in bringing about this result were of a most discreditable description, biit is only what might have been expected from the obstructionists, M ?ssrs Vogel, Seddon, and Fish, who. have from the outset been opposed to the Premier’s policy of retrenchment—a policy that has met with universal approbation. These gentlemen, especially, Fish and Seddon, are interminable bores, and the only wonder is that they are not the means of disgusting members who are on the same side with them. The miserable tactics of stonewalling and ultimately snatching a victory appears to have been the methods used by the Opposition in this instance, but that victory will assuredly be of short duration, for Major Atkinson is not the man to submit to defeat obtained by an apparent misunderstanding amongst the members. He will undoubtedly insist that his proposal shall be carried, otherwise the House will have to face a far more serious state of affairs- At nearly three o’clock in rhe morning Mr Downie Stewart moved that instead of the Bill taking effect from the first dissolution it shall not come into force until October, 1889. This amendment was tarried by a majority of five, it being apparent that some voted without seriously considering the motion.