THE REPRESENTATION QUESTION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2191, 5 August 1889, Page 2

THE REPRESENTATION QUESTION

(prom our own correspondent.) Wellington, August 3. The working of the new olauae to be inserted m tho Representation Bill, giving effeot to torms of the compromise balwoen the town and country parties, Is oausing some difficulty ; more especially that part of It dealing with the 750 margin. This clause was framed by Sir F. Whltnker, last evening, but proved altogether uqsoreptable to tho town party, Messrs Downlo Stewart, Porooval, Allou, and Dr Fltohett sought the assistance of Mr MoKorrow, formerly a member of the Reprußdntatlon Oomuol'.lon, tn drawing up a olauae that would satisfy both sides, and this will bo submitted ln dae oourse. In my telegram this morning I referred to tbe faot that a number of members repreoentlng boroughs of ovor 2000 population were mach disafctltfi.d tbat their constituencies wero exoluded from the bonofit of the additional quota of 28 per oent. During the day there has boen some talk of stonewalling by tbe now party thus oreated — the " small town party " — and whilst there is not muoh chance of their gaining anything by obstruction, very strong protests will be made by the members of ihat party, and an attempt will be mado to roduoe the allowance to oountry districts to 25 per cent, and to get all boroughs of loea than 5000 popnla tion Inoluded with the oountry districts, Thla | aril), probably, be tbo next fight, Tbo following Is a list of towns whloh on tbe terms of tho rooont oorapromlce are shut oil from the country advantage, and placed on the samo footing as the oltlea :— Thames, Devonpott, Onehunga, New Plymouth, Glsborne, Napier, Wanganul, Masterton, Palmerston, North, Nelson, Greymoutb, Hokitika, Blenheim, Lyttelton, Oamarn, Tiwa'O) Port Obalmors, InvercargUl. In addition to the amendments already mentlpned, whloh are to be moved to the Representation Bill, Mr Foi dw lok will move that the number of members be reduoed to seventy-three. Tho Aot of 1887 provides for the reduction of the European members to 70, but makes no provision for the reduotlon c? the Maori representation. Mr Feldwlek thinks Maoris should be treated m tho same way as Europeans, and although he has no strong feeling on the point one way or., other, ho will put the question fully before tbe House, Mr Guinness will move In the dlreotlon of a vory desirable reform. Under tho present system where there *»re more tban two candidates at elflotlons, It Is the minority of tbe constituency whioh Is usually represented, npd Mr Guinness will propose the Oontlnr.nU! pan, whloh provides that the two «?' ;•'; dates who poll the largest numbor o£ vqtes shall again [go before Hi a electors In order that the ' majority raty isoqcq representation, M