WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1919, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

ELECTORAL REFORM

MUNICIPAL AND DOMINION

(Our Special CuMesyondeut)

WELLINGTON, June 13

The promoters of the local movement in favour of proportional representation received some unexpected assistance this morning from the publication of the Chief Returning (Jffiaer’s repott upon the recent municipal elections. “I feel," the Returning Officer states,, presumably referring td tiie work of the elections, “that it lias grown to an alarming extent, so much so that it has become unwieldy and requires the Council's attention. 1 had to trust to the work of thirty or .kvty responsible officers going top speed and working night aftd day for eight days to reach the result.” The remedy he suggests for this extremely unsatisfactory state of affairs is that the city should be cut up into “about live electorates,” that the Harbour Board should he left to look after its own elections and that the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board should ho nominated by the Citt Council aiifl not elected by the citizens. • THE REFORMERS.

i All this, Of edhrse; is meat riiirf drink to the advocates of proportional rep'rCsc'iitatir.ii. It is a confession, thgjr contend, that the presefit systeiii df election has broken down badly, that the ! counting of the votes occupies eight ' times as long as it would s nder their | own system and that the . esult niay or ibny not represent the deliberate intention of the municipal voters. They profess td be immensely cheered by these ffdmissid'ns and are settirig to hoi k td brganise a monster deputation to wait upon 3tr Massey ahd Sir Joseph Ward on the return of the party leaders to the Dominion with a demand for tiie immediate redemption of tlieir pledges ifa favour of prdpdftional rejir'CSCntatidil. Yesterday tiie' “New Zealand Times,” apparently anticipating tliiS development, dame otit with a strong article in favour of the ref or in, but lUiforttihataly it iiiafred the force of is appeal by a quite irrelevant attack upon the Prime Minister. '

WOMEN’S RIGHTS. The rnikl agitation for the removal of women’s disability td eliter Parliament is in some measure akin to the movement in favour of proportio'hn! representation. The champions df electoral reform are not burdening tlieir cause with the other problem, hut the great majority of them approve of the principle of equality between the sexes in all matters appertaining to the government of the country. Tlieir attitude, however, is the one adopted by the Hon. A. Si. Myers, when addressing the deputation that waited upon him in Auckland the other day. They take it for granted that whatever other business may be neglected in the short session preceding the general election, Mr. Massey will give Parliament an opportunity to open its portals to women representatives. THE HOUSING PROBLEM. Hie housing problem, which appears to be acute all over the Dominion has reached a point in Wellington at which it becomes a. very grave national concern. At the municipal reception to Commissioner Howard yesUrdav, the Mayor mentioned the subject as one that was calling aloud for the attention of social reformers. Unless flic responsible authorities removed the existing deplorable conditions, be said, they would stand condemned for all time. Wellington stood in sore hoed of at least 500 new houses and unless it got them the city’s troubles Would go from bad to worse. His Worship was referring only to the needs of the people who e«.u afford to pay from £2 to £4 a week for homes with reasonable conveniences. Modest six or seven

room residences are as scarce as work ers’ cottage.