THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1889.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9379, 31 May 1889, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1889.

This is what Mr. Lance said in his speech at Sefton on 22nd May, which we have now before us in full: "The adjustment of the quota (under the last Representation Act) would be one of the burning questions to be fought out next session. He would warn the Premier v,hat however much the House was predisposed in his favour, he would find that a stern sense of justice ■would impel the members to have this matter put right. A considerable number of the town members were with their country friends in recognising the urgency of an alteration being made. For his part he considered that a quota of 30 per cent, in favour of the country districts would not be too high." Mr. Lance objects strongly to the present quota, which rives an advantage of IS per cent, to the country districts. He considers it insufficient, and placing too great power in the hands of the " artisan classes," a term which he seems to regard as synonymous with town population. (: Although they are, as a rule, an intelligent class/ , says Mr. Lance, "they should not be the governing class of the colony, for the reason that they could not understand the requirements of the great bulk of the country people. (Applause.) If the quota were not altered the artisan classes would rule, therefore it behoved the country people to press Government to make the alteration so desirable for their wellbeing." The people of New Zealand, and the " artisan classes," whoever they may be, are under great obligations to Mr. Lance, for so frankly expressing his own meaning, and the views of those with whom he is working on this question. For our own part we do not recognise the distinction drawn between country and town, nor the distinction drawn between the " artisans" or any other class in Xew Zealand. To do so is to lay the basis of class government with its rankling bitterness, and with all the envies and class feeling which are rapidly dying out from our political life. Mr. Lance says plainly that the townspeople are not to be trusted even when loaded with a nominal IS per cent, difference in quota. They will ije sure to misgovern and oppress the country. Therefore, he argues, give the country 30 per cent, at least. The townspeople may then rest contented. New Zealand will be a well governed and a happy country, and the towns, with their complex life and complicated interests, will find themselves better cared for than if they had the trouble of looking after themselves. Who the " considerable number of town members" may be, that are to help " their country friends" in carrying out this sublime policy, we cannot imagine, but we have no doubt that their constituencies would like to know.

Let us see how the matter stands ■with the 18 per cent, quota- of the Representation Act of 1887. The latest census showed a European population of 573,557, jind it is still the census on which the new adjustment will be made. There were then 91 members. The strict quota, in round numbers, was 6304 for each member. The 18 per cent, extra with which the towns are loaded comes in here, and leads to a series of complications which those may easily ascertain who will try to make the calculation. The Commissioners reported very elaborately the process by which they came to their conclusions. Their object was no doubt to free themselves from all suspicion of unfairness, and no one has ever charged them with it in the least degree. But mark the result of even a nominal 18 per cent. ! Take the cases, for instance, of Ponsonby and Kaiapoi, the highest and lowest on the list. The Ponsonby electorate numbers 7832. The electorate of Kaiapoi numbers only 5460. The difference here is not 18 but 44 per cent., and if such a glaring inequality can be produced by a nominal 18 per cent., what may we expect from thirty 1 It would be more than two to one in favour of Kaiapoi and of the country districts generally. Of the 21 members to be reduced, the towns, already so mucli under represented, would lose fourteen or fifteen, and the country only six or seven. Taking the House as a whole its composition at present is as follows:—The North Island has 39 members. The South Island has 52. Dividing the constituencies into sections numbering between 5000 and

6000, between 6000 and 7000. and v tween 7000 and 8000, we have': ™ ** Ist section ... °$th-South. 2nd section ... ... "" jo *7 . 3rd section ... ... *" ■{q

39 52 Tt will thus be seen that the oomii diaricte which form the third S° U3 anoof which a few are indidedSX? , second section, are already at a 4ri™ 8 disad. an tag e . The town and& constancies, pure and Bimpl?£avK are'hai ab ° Ut 26 ' and P«Us tt are naL as many morQ o{ £ "»ere character wh ich parts of large tow" or the wye of smaller boroughs J£ incorporate with the adjacent 101 l try district, This is the margin & which Mr. Lance would have t£ reduction in numbers chiefly , J With his ne-r quota the Houi or seventy r.ierobes would probably <»„ sist in round lumbers of at least « purely country,and at most 25 't n *t and mixed townind country instead as at present alxit 52 to 39. The w!r! of it would be t.at amid the chai,°? even in tho county districts, the lS populous would erj likely not I<S member, or their les be so insignificant as to be scarcely appreciable Ur™ the more thickly populated coun*rv districts, upon th>se with which "' Borough was incoporated, and unnr the cities, the whok loss of represent '' tion would fall. '

Mr. Lance may well style this " burning questioi." It turns ? nauglit all that he been done j n r way of Parliamentary reform during r i! e past few years. Of what avail 4]U free suffrage be unler such condition>? It is not on the busings, but in p at "fj ment, that the destines of the countrv depend, and in Pa-iianient they will be decided by a hlse and fictitious majority. Representation under such circumstances becones a dangerous sham—a sham as greit as that which gave to the Southern .'epresentativesin the United States Congress, a quota resting on the fijtion that three slaves — themselves unrepresented — should count as tvo free men arul be added in that character to "the population on which the representation was based. Excepting in the struggle for roads and worts, we know of no differences between town and country to justify such an enormity as that which Mr. Lance proposes, and on which the countr; members in the House have made b no secret that they intend to insist. Political questions pure and simple, such as taxation' regulation of the hours of labour, of factories, and nunerous similar subjects, which concerathe country people but slightly, are of deep moment to the thickly-populated towns. Are they to be deprived of power in deciding these great questions as they rise? Is their representation to be made a fraud and a sham 1 There is most assuredly imminent danger of such a calamity, especially if they are token by surprise in the coming session. But forewarned, the town members should be forearmed, and ve are at a loss to understand who they can be that have promised "in considerable numbers" to betray their constituents, and, in Mr. Lance's words, "to help their country friends." If the Government do their duty, they wiL" have prepared a table showing, as nearly as may be, the changes in the representation that might be expected from a thirty per cent., as opposed to an eighteen percent. quota. Mr. Laiue's position in the House and in his party, give weight to his opinions, and his personal character is so )iigh that we may rest perfectly sure, vhen he speaks of promised support, that his statement is true to the letter. To add to its weight, we state without reserve that it is well known some of 'fhe Ministry—it is even said a majority—hold Mr. Lance's views. The duty of the Premier is clear. Tht question is one for the people, and not merely for their representatives, to decide. He should not allow the people, on so momentous an issue, to be taken by surprise. He should supply the most rull information, and if lie neglect to do so will be guilty of a dereliction Df duty not to be readily forgotten.