The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1874.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1734, 24 July 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1874.

The Thames district presents one of those " trifling inequalities " of representation in the Parliament of the colony to remedy which the Premier doe« not thiulc it necessary to interfere with the - Representation Act this session. Mr. Charles O'Neill has presented the chainlong petition with imposing effect, and has received his answer—in effect as stated above. Mr. J. ° Sheehan, the honorable member for Bodney, now writes to the Borough Council stating that the petition , for additional representation to this district will have his support, but he does not consider that there is the remotest probability. of the prayer of the petition being granted. Holding this latter view it is difficult to imagine how j Mr. Sheehan can give his hearty support to the petition. Accepting it as a settled question that the prayer will not be acceded to, he can scarcely give any but a half-hearted support to the petition. In spite of the decided answer of the Premier . to. Mr. Charles O'Neill we have no doubt that if the position of the Thames were fairly represented, its claim to additional - .-' . ■ * "■ --'» ■' . ■*."■'-■

representatives clearly stated and supported by the Auckland members, some attention would be giren to the question without waiting for the contemplated adjustment of the;' representation before a general election. In the history of the colony such a piece of injustice was never before perpetrated towards a settled population of twelve thousand peoplo as to deny them more than one voice in the Parliament. It is not only on the basis of population that we can reasonably ask for additional representatives. There are large interests at stake in the district, and more capital invested than in any district of the siza in the country. The freehold of the land i« gradually bein^ accquirod, and there is no cause to fear that the existence of this -district as a place of importance will be ephemeral. Outside of its mining, the resources of which are but in the infantile stage of development, there are in the Hauraki district natural resources of an illimitable extent—in the land, which must eventually make this the second port of importance oh the East Coast, •yen if it should not eventually take* first rank. It is a pity the Auckland members agree so persistently to ignore the Thames in the Assembly. If they chose they could demand, without much' fear of a refusal, that additional representation be at once given'; if they fail to do this we must not let the agitation drop; Any future distribution of «eafcs ought to see justice done to the Thames ; which will not be the case if the electors remain indifferent or inactive. ■.■','

We notice that the question of remuneration to the Mayor has cropped up in the Borough Council. Councillor Ehrenfried has given notice of motion that this matter be considered at next meeting. There is no question that anyone filling ■' the Mayoral chair must resign himself to great sacrifices. Demands upon his time are constantly being made—not only in looking after the ordinary business of the borough, but in various ways which the public generally know little about. It cannot be concealed, however, that the funds at the disposal of the Council arc Very small, falling far short of requirements for the public service. While we would like to see a generous and liberal vote to our worthy civic chief, justice to the burghers demands that Councillors should be careful in voting further salaries at present. The matter is in an embryotic stage at present, therefore we shall leave it to be matured by the mover and his colleagues, until which time we refrain from offering any further comments. ■••