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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3158, 11 August 1881, Page 2

The Dunedin Echo does not expect any good Representation Bill this session. First, the Government have not backbone enough to stand by any well-defined principle on which such a bill should be shaped. Secoud, last year's bill was manifestly drawn in the interest of many members ol the House, and we do not expect a change in that respect in the new bill. The Grey Government in the early part of 1879 had a Representation Bill roughly drafted, and there was no increase cf members proposed by it. Indeed we believe the members could be reduced with safety to sixty, and ought not to be increased to ninety-one. The bigger tbe House of Representatives is made, we are afraid the expense of Government will be increased, and we doubt if the efficiency of legislation will £c promoted. The increasing of the expenses of Government means increasing taxation,

and we think the set that takatioii '"■• has now taken will not be to cast it all oh tbe middle and poorer classes. Those who have property will have to pay. We hope that those who saw in Abolition the dawn of a new day for Toryism will have found out their miscalculation, and that those who imagined that the people vere going to be ruled by a Tory Ministry will also be able to see the present political position. Until some principle is laid down, and that can be made self-adapting after every census, the passing of a Kepresentation Bill will always be a scene of petty scheming for seats. Thus it has been in the past, notwithstanding that it is the law of New Zealand, as defined by our Constitution Act, that population is to be tbe basis of representation. And we do not expect much from the present House of Representatives. A House that can condemn the local government measures of the Government, and yet not have the courage to boldly vote against them, cannot be- expected to do much. When we see the full details of the bill we may have something more to say regarding representation, but we do trust that a mojority of the members will resist the proposed increase of M.H.R.'s.