REPRESENTATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5652, 23 June 1886, Page 4

REPRESENTATION.

* ■ Redistribution of Seats, Tfce Premier's Statement. [FEOM OUK SPECIAL COREESPONDENT.J WELLINGTON, June 22. The Premier made his promised statement in thia matter as soon aa tbo House was ready to go to the Orders of the Day, and produced a warm, interesting, and rather sharp discussion. Next, as a foretaste of what might happen if the House were to be let loose on this most important subject, came Sir E. Stout's promise to the House to introduce a Bill this year for the establishment of automatic machinery to redistribute the representation after every quinquennial census, on the basis of population. After its introduction tho Bill is to be circulated for the information of the people till nest session. By that time the information necessary for altering the boundaries of the electoral district would be to hand. At present the totals for each of the electorates bad been published, but the figures for the different wards and subdivisions were not yet made up, and without them any change of the boundaries would be necessarily of a very haphazard character. The Bill would, Sir Eobert added, contain a provision for the amalgamation of electorates. By the way, before going any further, I must state that his announcement regarding the automatic portion of the system of redistribution was the announcement expressed by Sir Eobert a.s liis own views on tbo subject, so that tbo Bill ho will introduce will certainly be based on the population basis, but whether it will contain the automatic machinery capable of making the representation selladjusting for the future, depends on whether Sir Eobert Stout's views will pre- < vail. One session would suffice for next j year, said Sir Eobert, in conclusion, so that an election in September or October need

not be followed by a session till the year after. When the Premier had finished bis statement, Major Atkinson lost no time in showing his teeth. "Would the Government give any opportunity for discussing the question that a Representation Bill shall be passed thisseßsion?" " Yes, the Government would ; the opportunity would be arranged some day on going into Committee of Supply." "Would the Government take it as a want of confidence ? " " So, the Government would not take it as a want of confidence." Thus encouraged and accompanied by laughter at the outset, the discussion Bet off at a great pace, somebody moving the adjournment of the House, and thereby opening the flood-gates. JMr Dargaville very innocently wanted to know whether the Government would not promise never to ask for a dissolution during the remainder of the present and the whole of the next session, not to say anything of the recess. The Premier gently parried the thrust, and the House laughed. Mr Wakefield reminded the Premier that Ministers had threatened the House with a dissolution during the recess. After that we had the advocates of the population basis and its enemies of the Upper House. " Take a sponge and wipe out the other place," said Mr Logic ; "we can do it quietly, and simply don't give babies any milk." We had the advocates of large numbers, who said that a small House meant a freehold tenure of ofiices for certain families. And we had the friends of small numbers, who said that large numbers meant easy log-rolling, and all these made short, pithy speeches to their constituents. Somebody mentioned local government, which brought Mr Moss forward to sustain his character of its chief apostle, and to accuse the Government of disunion, which induced Mr Taylor to say that they were not disunited at all, but a good Liberal Government, that he intended to follow, not without an eye to the interests of the people who had sent him there. Tbe Premier at last remarking that it was four o'clock, and no business done, the discussion dropped.