The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1887.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7999, 18 October 1887, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1887.

* It is interesting to note- the difference in tho personnel of tlie now House of Representatives urid o£ that which was elected in 1884. Of tho latter, 42 members havo either not stood for re-election or have been defeated. 01! these, eleven havo been Ministers of iho Grown, namely, Hon. John Bryce, E. T. (Jonolly, J. Mucandrew, W. Montgomery, G. B. Moirie, Uon. W. Roll>'btoo, lion. Sir R. Stout, I'tutuon, J. \V. ThomHOD, J. A. Tole, and E. Wake field. Seven have ditch J. B. Bnulebaw, J. L. Coster, li. Gillies, llakuene, W. J. Hurst, J. JVlucundrew, and To Ao. Four havo been called to the Legislative Council: G. B. Morris, J. Sh<-pharH,S. E. Shriinuki, and Taiaroa. Eighteen have been defeated at the recent elections, and thirteen, though alive and well, huvo retired voluntarily from polities. Of the members other than past Ministers who havo disappeared from tho scene of political strife, thoao with whoso muncH tho public are most familiar were Messrs. Bevan, Bradshnw, Dargaville, Garrick; llolmes, Locke, Sutter, und Trimble. fc>«ven members of the legal profession havo either retired or been defeated, whilst in tho new iionsr. there arts eight lawyers elected to iopiucf; them. Of thoso whoso names are familiar to us from constant practice at the Bar in the

higher Courts, there remain from tbe late House only Messrs. Hislop, Samuel, and Stowart, whilst Sir Robert Stout, and Messrs. Conolly, Garrick, and Holmes have disappeared.

In tho Legislative Council also there have j been great changes. At tho commencement of the last Parliament there were forty-seven Councillors : Auckland, 7 ; Taranaki, 1 : Hawke's Bay, 4; Wellington, 12 ; Nelsos, 4 ; Marlborough, 1 ; Canterbury, G ; Westland, 2 ; and Otago, 10 ; now there are forty-nine, it being to the lusting discredit of the Stout-Vogel Government that they have causelessly increased the number of tho Council without removing the inequalities of the representation there of the different Provincial Districts, although they have caused to be called in defiance of common sense and public opinion, several gentlemen who had never Bit in the House at all, and one at least who had been just defeated at the poll. At present Auckland has 8 members, Taranaki 1, Hawke's Bay 3, Wellington 11, Nelson 4, Mirlborough 2, Canterbury iB, Weslknd 2, nnd Otago 10. Whatever may bo the differences of opiuion as to the Legislutivo Council, it is universally conceded that the number of Councillors should not be increased, and that where vacancies occur for some time to come at any ratfi they should not be filled, unless to prevent a district from being unrepresented, and that in all cases the person appointed should have previously served at least four Parliaments in the popular Chamber, especially now triennial Parliaments are in existence. We think, too, that unless a eligible person can be found in a district, who has a good Parliamentary record and is willing to accept the office, no rejected candidate should ever be nominated to the Council.

Retrenchment in the Educational Department seems still to engage the attention of the public in different parts of the colony. At a late meeting of one of the Canterbuiy School Committees f Wnkanui), Mr. James Brown, one of the members, submitted a number of retrenchment proposals of a soniewhat drastic nature. After a long discussion the resolutions wero passed, and it was decided to forward copies to the Board of Education, as well as to the member for Rangitata. The first resolution was to the effect that the Committee was of opinion that the state of tho country required the strictest economy in all departments of the public service. The second had direct reference to school matterp, and was to the effect that the salaries paid by the Board were out of all proportion to the services rendered by its highly paid servants There was a third and fourth resolution expressing the opinion that all salaries over £150 a year should be reduced ; that salaries of £400 a year should be reduced 25 per cent.; and that the present bonuses to teachers for attainments should cease, and that a bonus fot each child passing a standard Bhould be given in clasa E, and the other classes of teachers. Other districts are taking the same action, and it is only Taranaki that lags behind in this matter of retrenchment.