The Globe. SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1287, 4 May 1878, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1878.

The question of the redistribution of seats will, we learn, most likely occupy the attention of Parliament during the approaching session, and it is therefore very desirable that some expression of public opinion should be elected as to the principles upon which Representative Reform should bo based. Those of our readers who are acquainted with the Parliamentary history of the colony will remember that whenever a Representation Bill is before the House a disgraceful scramble takes place as to the number of representatives each district should secure, and unless some attempt is made to settle the question upon some equitable principle, the same scenes are pretty sure again to occur. The first question to be decided is, on what basis is the Representation to be adjusted ? Is it to be upon population, or upon the number of registered electors P Our readers will, we think, have little difficulty in deciding which basis should be adopted. We are promised, amongst other measures, a Manhood Suffrage Bill of some kind, and if such a measure is carried, it will no doubt bo in such a form as to give the franchise to every hona-Jide settlor in the colony above twenty-one years of age, who has shown by residing a certain time in one district that he has some stake in the country. Assuming that such a law will he carried, and that it will secure to every man in the colony entitled to it, the right to vote, it follows that the number of registered electors must form the basis of representation, not population. Aliens and strangers have no right to claim a voice in the management ®f the affairs of the colony, and if they are counted, when the Representation is adjusted, the effect would bo to give to those districts in which a large number of such persons resided more than their just representation. It may bo said that those districts, in which the electors are indifferent and neglect to place their names on the roll, will bo partly disfranchised. This is quite true. But if the electors of a particular district are so indifferent to the groat privilege which they enjoy of, through their representatives, making their laws and fixing their taxation, they must suffer the consequences. The plan, however, would have the effect of creating more general interest in public affairs, and if the number of representatives depended upon the number of voters, greater exertions would bo made to have the name of every elector entitled to a vote upon the roll. On the other hand, there would bo great inducement to keep dummy names on the roll in order to swell its size. This would, no doubt, bo a very serious, almost fatal, objection, wore the present system of registration to continue. If, however, a residential, for a property qualification, is adopted, the system will we suppose carefully guard against impersonation, and to secure this thoroughly, fresh registration every year will have to be insisted on. Were such a proviso enacted, it would bo somewhat difficult, in the present condition of our population, to encumber our rolls with any large number of dummy votes. Another question is—what machinery should bo provided so as to adjust the Representation to the rapid changes of the population. Should it be effected at intervals by the House, or should a selfadjusting plan be adopted ? As we have already pointed out, the scones which happen in the House on such occasions are such as to indicate the urgent necessity which exists for putting an end to their repetition. Even were there no logrolling whatever, a fresh Representation Bill cannot bo passed every three or four years, and yet that period is sufficient to greatly alter the relative positions of some districts. Some years ago, when this question was before the country, a plan was suggested which would have overcome the difficulty. It rested on the proposition that, ‘‘the number of the House of Representatives being settled

and the districts permanently adopted, the number of the members of each district should have the same ratio to the whole number of the House as the numbers on tbo electoral roll for that district bear to tbo whole of tbo electors of tbo colony, provided that, in computing tbo number of members for each district, tbo fractional parts for all numbers above one should bo omitted, and provided also that each district should have ouo member at least.” Tbo effect of such a system would be, that at evoiy general election, each district in tbo colony would return a number of members in exact proportion to the electors, and there would be an end to cries of unfair representation. Tbo machinery, once put in motion, would not require to be again touched by Parliament.

Our, contemporary, the Star, shows some little wisdom in at last deciding to retire from the controversy with us regarding overtime allowances to tbo employees on the Canterbury Railways. Each time bo has taken up tbo subject bo has made some fresh blunder, and committed himself to some new misstatement of fact. In last evening’s issue our contemporary says : Then with regard to the alternative charge, we have the telegram of Sir Georg 3 Grey which ia quite conclusive in the matter. It ia as follows ;—“ In re railway employees your letter to me on this subject is dated April 17. You will find upon enquiry that on April 13 an order was issued providing for overtime allowances being paid to employees on the Middle Island railway.—G. Grey.” From this it is quite clear that three days before our contemporary began to write, the Government had issued an (mler “providing for overtime allowances being paid,” and that had he made the necessary enquiry he would have found himself debarred from writing as he did. That is all we have advanced in the matter, and nothing can be simpler or clearer. The Government will pay overtime for the future, that is to say from the date of the order for payment being made as a matter of course. We did not say they had been paid, nor did we make the slightest reference to the subject of payment at all, but from the date of provision being made for payment the employees were earning overtune, which is the contrary of our contemporary’s presumption. He cannot get away from his position. The alternative charge referred to above is contained in tbo following passage :—“ Therefore, one of two things is a certainty; either a distinction is made between tbo employees on the Otago lines and those on tbo Canterbury ones, or no payment whatever is made for overtime on tbo railways at all. In either case the Government, tbo bead of which has been so eloquent on tbo wrongs of working men, has committed an injustice towards them. So far as the Canterbury employees are concerned, though working overtime, no payment as a matter of fact is made for it.” These words appeared in our issue of tbo 16 th, and at that time no overtime was being paid to tbo men. To quote Sir G. Grey’s telegram, therefore, is no answer to our assertion—is no proof that we are wrong —although our contemporary evidently thinks it is. Again, what does bo mean when bo states that “ from tbo date of provision being made for payment the employees were eaiming overtime, which is contrary to our contemporary’s presumption” ? Does be wish bis readers to infer that overtime has been earned since April 13tb, the date of Sir G. Grey’s telegram ? If such is bis meaning, it is not only misleading, it is simply untrue. On tbo other baud, if it means that the men have been earning overtime since May Ist, tbo day on which tbo order to pay overtime was issued to beads of departments, it has nothing to do with the question at issue. Wo give our contemporary the benefit of the doubt, and ask our readers to believe that lie really does not understand what lie is writing about. Indeed there is abundant evidence throughout bis articles on the railway question of confusion of thought to say tbo least of it. We are not anxious to convict him of moral delinquency, when bis conduct can be explained on the ground of mental incapacity. Just one word before wo have done. The Star says that it is not true that be has persistently led the public inferentially to believe tbo payment has been made. But, in spite of onr contemporary’s denial, we repeat that such a conclusion is justified by the language used in both bis articles. Tbo whole controversy arose over our assertion, that either a distinction was made between the employees on tbo Otago linos and those of the Canterbury ones, or no payment whatever was made for overtime on the railways at all. Our contemporary answers the above charge by quoting Sir G. Grey’s telegram. Unless be did so to prove that our assertion was untrue, what object bad be in doing it ?

The Lyttelton Times publishes the substance of an important telegram, received by the Governor from the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the subject of the defence of this colony in the event of war. Some time ago an Imperial Committee was appointed to consider the best means of defence for our colonial ports. That committee, we learn, from the telegram, has reported with regard to Now Zealand, that they have come to the conclusion that a defence of this colony by sea is utterly impracticable, but they recommend that land batteries should be erected at Wellington, Auckland, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers. They think that eleven 7-tou guns and eleven 64-pounders •would provide all the armament required for the above batteries. The cost, as far as can bo made out from the telegram, including the transport of the guns to the colony, the erection of the batteries, and the mounting of the guns, would bo at the rate of £2OOO per gun. The Wellington correspondent of our contemporary further adds that Ministers have resolved to telegraph instantly to have the 22 guns forwarded to New Zealand by the earliest opportunity, and, should war bo declared, it is the intention of the New Zealand Government to ask Colonel Scratchley to come over and advise them as to the distribution of the guns, their most effective disposal, the best plan of mounting them, &c. The above is welcome intelligence, but it would surely bo a mistake to wait the declaration of war before commencing the erection of batteries, &o. Why not ask Colonel Scratchley to come at once ? When war is declared it may bo too late. If Russia means to attack us she will not wait till wo have had time to protect ourselves, before she strikes the blow.