Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1901. CONSTITUTION OF COUNCIL.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 4 October 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1901. CONSTITUTION OF COUNCIL.

The recent death of three members of the Legislative Council, and the continued absence of two other members, has caused a great deal of attention to be devoted to. the filling up of vacancies. Mr. Herries wants the Premier, when recommending to his Excellency the names of those to fill the in the Legislative Council, to take into consideration the fact that the farming community is greatly under-represented in the Council. Mr. G. J. Smith, on the other hand, wants him to take into consideration the fact that the manufacturing community is greatly under-represented in the Council. Sir. M‘Nab is to ask the Premier whether he will, in making appointments to the Legislative Council, remember the claims of Southland to additional representation. Now, if these interests and localities are to be studied in the appointment of new members to the Council, the constitution of the Upper House will be altered—altered without an Act of the Legislature. If communities and industries are to be fairly adjusted, this part of the colony has perhaps the first call. The real reform that is required is abolition of the nominee system and the formation of the Legislature on elective lines. As a matter of fact the present constitution of the Legislative Council may be in keeping with a Crown Colony, but in a country like New Zealand is strangely at variance with public opinion, and it is surprising that the present Administration has not long ere now tried to bring the Upper Chamber into line with other representative bodies.

PERSIAN GULP DIFFICULTY. In almost every dispute that occurs between nations Britain has a part; her interests are in some way or other concerned. Hence, in tie recent disturbance in the Persian Gulf, we find a portion of the British navy taking a prominent hand. A Turkish vessel attempted to land 500 Turkish soldiers at Koweyt, a port situate at the head of the Persian Gulf, to settle a dispute that bad arisen, when th% British cruiser Perseus interfered and prevented the expedition proceeding further, the Turkish vessel withdrawing, pending further instructions from Constantinople. The Arabian shore of the Gulf is inhabited by semi-independent Arab tribes, who are bound together under treaties with the Indian Government to maintain a maritime truce for the prevention of piracy and the slave trade, and for the cessation of hostilities at sea. The British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, who resides ordinarily at Bushire, on the Persian side of the Gulf, is the recognised arbiter in the quarrels of these tribes, and the peace of the Gulf is maintained by the British flag. Evidently some trouble has arisen between Turkey, whose territory (El Hasa) lies just behind the coast, and the Arab tribes on the Coast itself, and in order to keep the peace the British commander intervened. In order to be ready for any eventuality, three other British ships were immediately ordered to the Gulf, and the British force there now consists of the Marathon, a third-class cruiser of 2950 tons, with six guns, and the Perseus, a vessel of the same class, with eight guns; the Assaye (785 tons two guns), a first-class torpedo boat of nineteen - knots, stationed for India’s naval defence ; and the Sphinx, as the cablegram indicates, a special service vessel in the-East Indies. The latter is a paddle steamer 0f,.1130 tons, and has five guns. If occasion should arise, half-a-dozen other warships on the Indian station could be on the scene in four days, so that it is evident that British interests will be well looked after.