Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9435, 5 August 1889, Page 4

Mr. Feldwick, the member for Invercargill, has given notice of motion to reduce the number of Maori members in the House of Representatives to three. He contends that, as the European members are now reduced to seventy, it is right that a corresponding change should be made in the Maori special representation. Originally, when the Amendment Bill was passed in 1887, this reduction was intended, but Ministers gave way to avoid the four Maori votes going into the lobby against their Bill. This reason no longer exists, and Mr. Feldwick's motion is likely to receive considerable support. In a smaller House four compact votes would tell too heavily in many divisions. Ministers, it must be remembered, will be reduced to six; instead of seven, as at present. Mr. Guinness, of Grey mouth, also has an amendment to the Representation Bill, adopting the French system to secure that a member shall lie elected by an absolute majority. According to this system where more than two candidates, contest and no one among them obtains an absolute majority, a second election takes place to decide between the two who were highest at the poll. But in France the elections take place on Sunday, an arrangement not for one moment to be contemplated in NeW Zealand. The cost to the candidate and the difficulty of getting electors to go twice to the poll, would be an insuperable objection, and we can't believe that the amendment will be seriously entertained. >.■■'■