THE REPRESENTATION BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 567, 6 September 1865, Page 4

THE REPRESENTATION BILL.

Till". proper representation of the people is a subject iif tlir greatest importance in any lull ion where ivpresentai ive 111 -it itntions exist. We printed yesterday the liill on this subject introiluceil by the YVcld Ministry. It would be premature to L,' n into the <|tiestion at any length at the present niniiienl. or to attempt either to condemn or approve it except in general terms until we have the data before us on which it is based. At lirst sight it certainly seems passing strange that of all the new members to lie added to the .House, none of them are to be sent by the Province of Auckland, which gives '.lie largest income to tlte State, save that of Otago. Jf we looked therefore for the carrying out of the principle that representation and tax \- tion should together, we shouhl uaturallv have e.x]iectcd to find that Otago and Auckland It,'id got tin' largest ])roportion of new members, since the produce of (heir taxation is by far the largest of any of the other Provinces. Or if we were only to look' at, population as a basis of representation, we cannot see how Auckland can be fairly shut out of view. The natives of the north of Auckland and the colonists live in pretty close relations with one another, and supposing the Native Commissioner to devise any means by which the native population can be admitted to the franchise, we shall have a large additional number of electors entitled to the franchise. And it would be infinitely better that they should vole at the same polling booth and in the same manner with the Europeans, making both thus on a perfect equality in the manner of voting, than to attempt, to isolate the natives ami create further distinctions between tliein and the colonists. Let any extension of the franchise to natives be made an occasion for drawing the natives and colonists closer together in the bonds of amity and friendship rather than of selling up fresh barriers between them.

"With these views then, we reserve a full criticism of the measure until we know more about it : but we are decidedly of opinion that some very good cause requires to be shown why Canterbury. Otago. and Southland should divide the increased number of representatives among them.