THE Evening Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 1869

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1947, 2 August 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 1869

The readjustment of the Representation, in anticipation of the next general election, is not to be proceeded with this session. Mr Stafford, on the 15th of last month, brought the subject before the House of Representatives, but the Ministry declined to deal with it this session, as there is no likelihood of an appeal to the country before the close of the next session, when a new Parliament will be called in the natural course of events. It was rather too bad of him to press the matter so soon after the accession to office of the Fox Ministry. The Premier in reply said what must be obvious to every one, that “ a Government coming into office “ in the middle of a session is neces- “ sarily not in possession of information “ requisite to enable it to solve the “ difficult questions that will arise in “ connection with the readjustment of “ the representation of the Colony,’’ Mr Stafford appears to have formed certain theories respecting representation, which he gave the House the benefit of; and as the subject must necessarily come before the public before another session of Parliament, an analysis of his speech will not be without interest. The first point to which he alluded was the necessity for revision in consequence of the great changes that have taken place in the distribution of the population during the last nine years—that is, since the last revision of Electoral districts in 1860. As an instance he mentioned Franklin, a suburb of Auckland, with “ separate “ and isolated communities, having no “ communication by means of roads, “ and in no way connected with each “ other, having totally different and “ independent interests, as if they were “ inhabitants of a different country “ altogether.” He next adverted to the 17,000 or 20,000 persons on the Thames Gold Fields, as a new class in that district who have to be considered, and who require separate representation. The anomalies in our system were then brought forward. Mr Stafford showed that Wellington is represented by three members, while Christchurch has but one, and Dunedin, “ one of the most “ thriving, prosperous, and vigorous “ communities in New Zealand, has only u two representatives.” Three or four/ districts, with populations of 500 and 700, have as large a representation as districts with 11,000 people. These the speaker described as “ blots “ on our present system of representa- “ tion.” In that opinion we fully coincide ; but on a careful review of Mr Stafford’s speech, we should not feel inclined to trust to the sort of revision he suggested. He may be much in advance of his time. Every experimentalist is led by some ideal discovery to put it to the test of practice. So long as this can be done without risking the loss of something already possessed, not much harm can ensue. Should the experiment fail there is at / airy rate knowledge gained.

But in political and social matters, experiment may do enormous damage, and the knowledge gained may not prove sufficient compensation. For instance, what good reason can be given for reducing the number of members of the House of Representatives 1 Population is increasing, diversified interests are rising up, and questions requiring local knowledge are multiplying every year. Precisely the same proposition was introduced into the Provincial Council last session, but really the arguments by which it was supported did not commend themselves to the reason. No definite principle appears to be settled in Mr Stafford’s mind. At times he spoke of population unrepresented—at times of interests—at times of minorities. There can be no doubt, if it were possible, that the different interests of the Colony should be fairly and equitably represented ; but we fear we have not yet reached that high degree of social organisation that will render such a scheme workable. The representation of minorities is another thing, and this reveals a rather curious feature in Mr Stafford’s speech. “T am happy to say,” he said, “ that the Legislature, in the “ more recent alterations made in the law “ of representation, has proceeded upon “ the plan, when creating new districts, “ of giving but one member to each “ district. I believe that to be a fun- “ damental principle of government for “ New Zealand—one which ensures “ that special interests, confined within “ certain well-defined boundaries, should “ not be interfered with by a bare ma- “ jority of persons having totally anta- “ gonistic interests within the same “ large electoi-al district, electing two “or three members.” We confess to not seeing how the suggested evil is met by such an arrangement, if the one member is to be chosen by the majority. True, it is proposed to divide the district, and give to the special interest located in a portion of it one member, but the new system adopted to secure the representation of minorities in England seems much more feasible. Instead of reducing the number of representatives of large constituencies, it is required that the electors shall vote for one member less than the whole number to be elected. By this means there is not that total exclusion of men representing, in all probability, the most advanced ideas that has hitherto marked the representative system of Great Britain. This plan, instead of requiring a decrease in the representation of large constituencies, would rather necessitate an increase, if it were not intended to nullify altogether the voice of a constituency. It is well that the subject should be taken up by the colonists, and so discussed that some definite opinion may be arrived at before the adoption of any plan, either by the Provincial Council or the House of Representatives. It appears to us that, as a rule, the means and appliances to hand for forming and disseminating sound opinions on the various political and social questions that come from time to time under consideration, are not made the most of. The duty of the Press is to bring them prominently into notice. The public have free use of the newspapers within reasonable bounds; and they are vehicles for interchange of thought, and for the formation of healthy opinion. There are also associations formed with the express purpose of spreading sound knowledge on such subjects. To leave so important a matter to the decision of our representatives—without, as a community, giving it that full consideration which regard to the future of the Colony demands —is a grave breach of social duty that may be fraught with evil. It is no trifling question that is before us. It is not even to be decided on the hustings, but our representative bodies are called upon to alter the electoral districts with a view to a new Parliament. The mere territorial alteration is trifling compared with the determination of the principle that is to guide them in their work. The great object to be aimed at is to have each huge interest intelligently represented, without preponderance being given to any.