The Evening Herald. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1873.

Wanganui Herald, Volume V, Issue 16714, 10 February 1873, Page 2

The Evening Herald. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1873.

.■•:'i'i d.iii t .*;-*. •■«*•;•-.-» = .-■_-• ■■■. -'■ ': ••: : Representation . may be divided into three parts, t each having, a distinct interest, -'and' -comingl in' for a ''distinct consideration.: It may be considered, first, with, respect to the voice which, different sections o£ the .community have in returning a representative; secondly, with regard to the best.candidate—that. is^,.of the best qualificacations for a representative in a representative; assembly >; and.thirdly, with reference/to the kind of representation most likely to promote the interests of a constituency.; -We. have at various times,,.incidentally, touched on, ; all of the three,;questions., and.,we ,now propose to consider especially the v third, ,as coming home more immediately to the electors at the, , present time. And to narrow the ■issue 'we might1 suppose two parties1 * struggling.- for victory for their' respective _ candidates. One, party is connected1 with the G'dvernme'iit,'devoted adherents, and; the ,other in Opposition. The Government party, openly declares that it for the. advantage, of a com-l niunity which returns several representatives, that they should.,all,be sent in Governmenfsuppbrtef.s;f6r,itinaintains, if yoii have one party pxilling, one,, way. and;the-other^different 'way,' the disi trict': will ■ be'■ visually unrepresented.' Let rtis'examine' slightly'this pretension.1 To the'•casual-observer1 it may be plainly seen" that most1; Gdvemmeiits, iii J tjie Colony for ■example', J"are'J subject' to a voting pressure., and'"are not, so much at the mercy: of- thick and thiri adherents as of independent members >arid the opposition. Governments believe firmly ;s.-E,-v.:'.'-''7 ,yy>i>:'- ■'■-'•- : ■"■' '■ ■■■^"-'•■'

in the doctrine of self-preservation, and yield to circumstances. They consult their own safety first, and then may

perhaps promote the interests of their supporters. The case'-of Mr. Gisborne if) in point. He openly professed in the Assembly that he had never advocated the interests of his constituents. Mr l?ox, though more astute than his colleague in the nature: of his confessions, never did really advocate the cause of Ins district on any ocaasion, though the opportunity of doing something in the matter of public -works had presented itself..; Now,, to make the application still more close,' one "of our representatives is a member of the Provincial Government. ;Tt is notorious that he was madesoinorderto prevent him voting for the amendment or repeal of the Highway Act last year. He has, it is well known, the least influence of any member of the Executive. We will suppose he takes clown, to' Wellington a number of adherents of the Finnimore-Findlater type, or even a much higher class of representatives ; we then have measures matured in the Executive Avith a preponderating weight of intellect and numbers? against our Executive member, together. with the certainty of those measures being carried by the Government supporters, who are bound hand and foot in the way indicated. A clever Executive with Mr Bunny at its head, would study where pressiire ■was likely to be brought to bear against it, and prepare its measures accordingly. They would . have nothing to trouble them, if they had arranged for the support or were sure of members beforehand But, on the other side, with vigilant members determined to see that their -district-had its full share of what was going, there would be the best possible chance of us obtaining that share • there would exist a constant pressure on the Wanganui member: of the Executive and on the Executive itself. We do not'object-to'a member for this district being a member of the Government, but Jsve require independent members who -will keep a sharp look out to detect thegebject of every move on the political board! That is, the interests of a district are not to be best served by returning pledged or real supporters of a Government.. And nothing would be more injurious to the interests of Wanganui than to carry out the principle, lately advocated, of returning the 'adherents of a man and the Government, expecting to receive a.greater share of the provincial loaves and fishes in consequence. By doing so, —always supposing the representatives were up to the average,—our hands would be tied. - ; When, we talked of separation, it will be remembered, great concessions were made; from which we apply the maxim that Governments will do more from fear than love. Even Mr Andrew, weak as he is, claims that he had the schedule of the Wanganui Bridge Bill modified to the extent of some thousands in favor of the Wairarapa, through his opposing influence.