TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3120, 28 June 1881, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1881.

It is thought to be not at all improbable that Parliament will be dissolved, and that the Government will prefer to face the country under the existing Represention Act than to risk the effect of a redistribution of seats. The Ministry were weak enough last session, and only kept their position through the disinclination of the Houee to see Sir George Grey / back again in power. The fear of such a I return to office does not now animate the • majority of the members, and on two

minor points this session the Government have suffered defeat. One of these points whs in relation to the election of licensing CoU J uii3>-ioners; the other was on the motion of Mr Andrews for presence of the press at all civil service enquiries , into the eoudtict of public servants. These two defeats were not serious consequence, but they showed at least eifber weakness or bad generalship. Ween, however, we see a Ministerial measure like the Licensing Bill mangled out of its original shape, having been thrown oa the floor of the House for members to do wh*t they liked with it, the inference is that Ministers are not strong enough to take any decisive stand. Under these circumstances a new Representation Bill would have but a very poor chance of coming out of committee in anything like the form it would be introduced to the House s and, therefore, it is thought Ministers would rather dissolve Parliament than wait for its natural dissolution hy efflnxion of time when a redistribution ot representation would I.c imperative. Should the Government dcci.'lt j noon a diiseo'n'ion a very great injustice will be suffered by this constituency in the continuance of the town and country as one electorate. For the last three years the town has not been represented, while its two nominal representatives have taken no pains to disguise that they regard it as the least important part of.heir constituency. Perhaps this is the result of the fact that they are indebted to the country districts for their seats in Parliament. Be this as it may, it cannot be denied that they are not in the House as the chosen of' Napier, and that from the bottom they were placed at the head of the poll by the votes of the country settlers. If, then, there ehould be a dissolution we may confidently expect that these two gentlemen will once more present themselves for re-election, and once more will they trust to the division of votes in the town enabling the unity of the country districts to put them again into Parliament. It will rest with the town electors themselves to say whether by their own action they will allow the success of tactics that at the last elections proved so discomforting to them. Good organisation, and the choice of fitting candidates, would ensure the return of at 'east one member pledged to the consideration of the interests of the borough ; and in view of a possible dissolution an early attention to organisation ehould not be neglected.