The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. TUESDAY, JUNE 2S, 1898.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 307, 28 June 1898, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. TUESDAY, JUNE 2S, 1898.

That the present system of electing members to Parliament is unsatisfactory is generally recognised, and the Press and public men have from time to time urged the adoption of a system that shall secure to a larger degree than at present that Parliament shall be a fair reflex of the opinion of the people. The efforts to secure reform have, however, only been spasmodic, aud in consequence public opinion has not been sufficiently awakened to the evils of the present system and the advantages to be secured by a change. The idea which has met with most favour is that known as " The Hare System/' or some modification of it. Under this system the country would be divided into a few large electorates, each returning a proportionate number of members, the voting to be by the single transferable vote. In application this means that every voter may pub numbers against the candidates names, indicating the order in which he prefers them. Whenever his chosen candidate has sufficient votes to secure his return, no more votes will be assigned to him, but each vote primarily intended for him will go to the candidate standing next in order on the. voting paper as indicated by each voter, and the process would be continued till the requisite number of members are returned.

By this means members would be returned absolutely in accordance with the estimation in which they are held by the whole body of electors. Under the present system, in the event of several candidates standing for an electorate only returning one member, it may, and does frequently, happen that the member returned represents an absolute minority. The increase in the area of the constituencies,say one for each provincial district, would lead to the return of men with a provincial, if not a colonial, reputation, and the personnel of the House would be improved ; men who will not now consent to stand would come forward, as the system would relieve them of the necessity of being agitators for the expenditure of public money within their electorates. It is a well-known fact that, at the present time a member is very often judged by his ability in this direction, and every other consideration is ignored. He may have proved himself a clearheaded and patriotic politician, but if he has returned from the session without the money for " that bridge" or" that road," all his ability and patriotism are of very little account in securing the approval of his constituents. It has been urged, and may be so again, that the expense of canvassing the enlarged constituencies would be so great that only men of independent means would have a chance of election. This could be. met by limiting the amount each candidate shall spend, prohibiting canvassing, and the formation of committees with all the expenses incidental thereto. It might also be made imperative that each candidate shall only address meetings in centres to be specified. The newspapers would print the speeches, and, if hot, the candidate could get his speech printed and circulated. With these restrictions, the expense of elections need not be more than it is at the present time. We are clear on the point that the business of the country could be much better conducted by half the number of members than at present are annually called away from their avocations to wrangle and scheme in Wellington—one section in order to retain power and the other to secure it. There would be this further advantage ; having large constituencies would render the bribery of members by the Ministry of the day much more difficult. Members would be encouraged to take a provincial, if not colonial, view of questions in place of mainly confining their energies to satisfying the often selfish demands of the constituents they represent, and in matters of colonial importance pandering to their prejudices.

The Waikato hounds will meet at Fukekura on Saturday next, at the usual hour.

Mr W. J. Hunter has a line of 320 longwool hoggets (off turnips) for sale at Ohaupo to-day.

A Post-office will be opened at the store, Cambridgo West, on the Ist July, of which Miss Garland will be the postmistress. Mails will be despatched and received twice daily. We remind our readers of the sale of a coaching plant and a number of valuable horses to be held by Messrs McNicol ami Co. at Cambridge to-mor-row (Wednesday), commencing at 1 p.m. sharp. The first election of trustees for the Ngaroto Drainage Board will be held on Wednesday, 6th July. The candidates are : Messrs 1). Cavanagh, E. Ellis, G. Finch, T. Fry, F. C. Germah.n, W. J. Hunter, J. Ohye and J. Ryburn.

An extraordinary vacancy having arisen in the membership of the Mangahoi Drainage Board, nominations of candidates to iill the same will be received up to noon on Tuesday, sth July, the election (if necessary) being fixed for Thursday, 14th prox. The committee of the Victorian College Council recommend the immediate establishment of four professorial chairs, viz. : Classics, mathematics, chemistry, and English and English literature, with a salary of £"/00 and a term of engagement for five years.

We are pleased to hear that Mr J. O. Booth arrived in Sydney on Friday with his valuable string of racehorses all well. Considering the heavy gales experienced tince his departure from Auckland, some anxiety was naturally feit about his arrival at Sydney and the condition of his charges after the passage over. His message over the wire will remove all uneasiness on this score.

On Thursday next, June 30th, Mr W. J. Hunter will hold a large clearing sale at the Waitoa Yards, when he will offer the whole of the stock, implements, etc., belonging to the Rangiatea Estate. The stock is in first-class condition, the hones are all good workers, aud there is a large quantity of up-to-date machinery to pick from. The sale will commence at 12 o'clock. Pastor Steed will deliver a lecture in the Volunteer Hall tonight upon the Prophec'es. At Cambridge persons of every shade of opinion have attended these lectures. While thfl lecture is purely a Bible study, so simple that all can understand and remember it, yet it is an eloquent description of some of the most stirring events of history and carries the listener on into the future, as it were, tearing away the veil that hides it from our gaze.

Yesterday afternoon a man named George J. Richdale was admitted into the Waikato District Hospital. Richdale was employed at tlie Mamakn Mountain Rimu Compauy's sawmill at Mamaku, and on Sunday was out for a walk along the tram line, when he slipped off the rail jind broke his leg just above the ankle. He was taken to the mill and the injured limb put into temporary splints by some of his mates, and yesterday he was brought to the hospital by Mr Given.

A young man, well-known in racing circles, of the Waikato, Ernest Beer, eldest sou of Mr E. Beer, of Hautapu, expired on Sunday morning, through injuries received when jumping a horse over a fence at Mr J. Clements' farm at St. Kilda, Cambridge, on Saturday. Deceased aud Mr Clements were going to the hunt, and, previous to doing so, young Beer thought he would give the horse a jump. When going over the fence the young man's foot caught the top of a post, which threw him, and he fell with his forehead on a small ti-tree stick, which injured the skull. Inflammation supervened, and the young man expired as above. Much sympathy is felt with his family.

A good deal of confusion is occasioned in the matter of the Waitoa sales and the Waitoa railway station,. Strangers naturally conclude that to reach the saleyard at Waitoa they must leave the train at the station bearing that name, whereas the sales are really held at Waihou, four miles further on the line towards Te Aroha. Our stock salesmen should see to it that this matter should be rectified in future. On Thursday the extensile sale of stock aud farm implements from the Rangiatea estate will be held by Mr W. J. Hunter at the saleyard, Waihou, and intending purchasers proceeding by rail should bear in mind that they have to alight at the Waihou station, not at Waitoa, for the reason given above.