The Globe. MONDAY, MAY 6, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1288, 6 May 1878, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, MAY 6, 1878.

In Saturday’s issue wo briefly referred to a system of representation wbicb, if adopted, would render future measures of adjustment unnecessary. Tho aim of legislation in this colony of late has been to create a healthy national spirit, as opposed to narrow and local instincts. Abolition had that for one of its principal objects. Apart from financial and other reasons which influenced those who insisted on sweeping away tho provinces, our statesmen sought, iu carrying the Abolition Bill, to lift public attention from tho doings and sayings of the petty local Parliaments which had hitherto engrossed it. Provincialism tended to cause the colonists to look upon the legislature of the General Assembly almost exclusively as it affected their own particular province. The interests of tho colony, as a whole, were of secondary consideration. Already there are signs, however, that tho aims of our legislators hare been partially successful. But it is to be hoped that the good work which has been begun will not be allowed to stop short. Our representatives in the House from particular districts are still tempted to combine together for tho attainment of certain ends, and from the unequal representation which at present exists, are often enabled to secure privileges to the disadvantage of other portions of the colony. Of course, under any scheme of adjustment which accepts local representatives, this evil cannot be altogether avoided. Tho only plan, as far as we know, which would effectually put an end to such a state of things, would bo tho Haro system. In a former article wo briefly explained how the scheme would work. We have little hope of seeing it seriously considered by our Parliament. at any any rate under its present guidance. Any scheme of reform will, we suppose, continue tho present mode of div iding the colony into electoral districts, each sending a certain number of members. It is therefore of great importance that the House should fairly represent the electors. The question arises should the present electoral districts bo all readjusted so that each should at least bo entitled to one. This might he done by, in some cases, joining two or more together, making their joint area sufficiently large that there would be no danger of any one locality lagging so much behind tho rest of tho colony as to be unduly represented by one member. On tho other hand wo should he sorry to seo large districts, or rather districts containing a large number of electors,subdivided. For example, it is bettor for tho interests of all concerned that ( hristcliiu’ch should he represented by four members, than that it should bo subdivided, into tv/o or four divisions. In a large constituency there is some chance of a minority being represented, while there is none whatever, if it returns one member only. The area of the districts being finally decided, there would he no difficulty in bringing into operation, tho scheme to which we referred on Saturday. Under it Rerproseutatiou would be in exact proportion to the number of electors iu each district. An end would bo put to the anomoly of one district containing five thousand voters returning tho same number of members to the House as one whose electors only numbered five hundred. The great advantage of tho plan is that it is self adjusting, At every general election, the number of members to he returned for each district would depend upon the number of electors. Tho rivally for representatives between different districts [of tho colony would be transferred from tho arena of the House of Representatives to tho country. Instead of being decided by log-rolling between members of different districts, it would be [a contest dependent upon the progress of tho districts in wealth and prosperity. The scheme could bo put in operation, whether the present franchise continues, or whether Manhood Suffrage is adopted. Wo admit that it depends for its successful working upon the purity of tho electoral rolls. It must he rendered impossible to crowd them with dummy names. But, as we pointed out on Saturday, if a residential qualification is adopted iu place of the present property one, there will he no difficulty, as it is intended to hedge the system, we are led to believe, with all kinds of precautions. Were that done, it might he fairly concluded that tho roll of each electoral district would contain tho name of every man entitled to vote. Tho consequence would bo that at each general election we would have a House fairly representing the interests of the colony. This being so, there would he less danger of combinations injurious to the interests of particular localities. Wo do not claim, of course, for the scheme that it would put a complete end to log-rolling, but it would have that tendency. The subject is, wo think, a very important one. In the old country political contests have raged principally between classes and intciests, and hut slightly between the members (Horn different localities, iu New Zealand lust

the opposite has been the case. Our contests have hour clacriy between the members from rival districts of the colony, and the interests of the country at large have frequently been subordinated to those of particular localities. The scheme wo are discussing would, wo believe, help to develop the national spirit which it has been the aim of recent legislation to create.