THE NEXT ELECTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 7047, 8 October 1900, Page 2

THE NEXT ELECTION.

) a year ago has jiot j?ei gat out its Ast \ \Besa\oiu anil ftie "MMstt^ uajse&cv^-, But, nevertheless, discussion 'on the prophets foretell that the present Parliament will not run longev than October next. Ihe reason assigned is that the logical result of increasing the number of members of the House of Eepresentatives to 80 is the admission that the present House does not duly represent the people, and that constitutional principle demands that once that admission is made the House must be immediately dissolved. The leader of the Opposition the other day advanced that argument, but the Premier, for reasons given, did not agree with it. Captain Russell undoubtedly stated the constitutional principle quite accurately. On previous occasions, however, the House has added to its numbers with out dissolution immediately following. But that was before the days of the present mathematical system of distribution, and in a rough and ready way new districts were constituted and fresh members elected without any disturbance of the sitting members. It would now be impossible to follow that plan, because to do so would upset the whole of the arrangements under the existing law. On the other hand, despite constitutional principle.'it would be practically out of the question to re-define all the constituencies immediately on the increase of the number of members, because in March next the census is to be taken, and this must show such a variation of population in the electoral districts that the new House would cease to be representative according to the scheme on our Statute Book. But it is urged, with irresistible force, that with the provisions for an increased number of members and the results of the census of March next showing changes in the location of population, it would be quite clear that a fresh election would have to be held in order to bring the House into direct touch with the constituencies under the new conditions. The results of the census are scarcely likely to be sufficiently known to get the districts re-defined in time for an election at any time during next year. It is true that on a previous occasion, owing to the then existing Parliament beiDg about to expire, by a great effort arrangements were made to get the returns sufficiently forward to allow of an election being held some six or seven months after the census was taken, but there would be no need for such haste on the present occasion. We therefore think the probabilities are that next session will be held at the usneal time in 1901, bat that it will be the last of the present Parliament, and that a general election will take place — assuming that there will be no necessity to get it off in a hurry — about March, ; ; 1902. Some writers fix it for December, 1901, but arrangements would have to be rushed to get it off then, and on the whole it is likely it will be deferred till the busy season, with agriculturists has been got over, f

In one county in Illinois there were 833 divorces in a single year ; a Massachusetts county had 600. A county in Maine boasted of 478, and another in Connecticut 401. Our divorce laws are not worthy of the name. A woman divorced from her husband in New York is forbidden to marry again in thiß State.

If she does so the marriage is illegal. But she may take a three-hours' trip to Connecticut, get married, and return to New York, where her marriage will be legally recognised.— American paper.