WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

ELECTORAL REFORM. A. FORECAST. [Special To Tiie Guardian.] WELLINGTON, July 25. Tlie '‘Evening Rost” publishes a loreeast of the provisions ot the Bill the Prime Minister has on the stacks lor reforming the electoral system of the Dominion, which many people are inclined to regard as having been inspired hy Air Alassey himself. "The Government's solution, ’ the "Post” says, "is reported to he a mixture of methods, which will certainly he a surprise, because country electors will vote on one method, and city electors will have an entirely different system, of electing their representatives. The Government is said to he contemplating a reversion to tlie former method of grouping city constituencies, and applying proportional representation to these elections. If existing grouping is followed it will mean that Auckland would he a huge constituency, comprising eight old electorates which have an aggregate voting strength ol I 1.1.000. Five Wellington city and suburban seats represent an electoral M length of 00,500; the constituencies in and around Christchurch return seven members representing 122,7/0 voters; while Dunedin has live closelygrouped seats containing 86,001) voters. It is suggested that tie* Government plans to place these twenty-live seals under proportional representation, leaving the remaining 51 country electorates as single-member constituencies, with the important change that preferential voting will he adopted for the elections.” This, of course, is the scheme which Sir Joseph Ward included in his first manifesto at the geneial election of 1919. "DISHING THE WHIGS.” The Liberal leader quickly recognised that he would he preparing a whip for his own hack by providing for proportional representation in the large oijios and for preferential voting in the country electorates and repaired his faux pas as speedily ns possible. Perhaps Air Massey has been keeping the hint in mind. The eflcet of sueli a scheme as the one attributed to him would he to give the Reformers a marked advantage in both city and the country electorates and the well-in-formed Labour Party has not oveilooked this fact. "Labourites,” the "Post” continues by way ot further comment, "regard the plan as simply designed to dish the A) bigs while Liberals are preserving an attitude of suspended judgment, wondering whether it may he wise to accept even an instalment ol reform. Their intentions as a party will naturally not he determined uni il the actual text ol the Government’s Bill is helore Parliament. If ihe “Post” has correct ly stated the position, Air Alassey would do well, as a matter of tactics, to force the Bill through during the present session, without giving the Liberals tuithet time lor consideration ; but in these days the Prime .Minister is not. seeking to score in the old fashion and it H quite likely the measure will be held over till next veer. LICENSING.

As was generally expected the Prime Minister has decided nor ro proceed with tlio Licensing Bill this session. Air Alassey made ti deiiuite slutomoßt to Ibis effect in the House yesterday, and also replied to some criticism in ibis connect inu that had been levelled against the Government. Never since 1,,, had been in Parliament, lie said, had licensing been made a party quesi n,n and he was not going to make it a party question now. lie wished to have the that was considering the Bill fairly balanced and he was prepared to add a member or two to its strength it the House thought that course desirable. The intention was that the Government should irame a Bill, submit it to the eonimii tee, "and leave the committee to thrash it out," taking evidence if it thought that course necessary. The commit lee seems at present to contain most of the extremists on both sides and its proceedings probably will he Dot It lively and entertaining. Ol kite years there has lid n a disposition in the colllliry to regard the Government as more fnvoiir-

able Ilian Hie Opposition towards drastic licensing reform and io an extent this feeling is retleeted in Hie House, hut there is no danger of the quasi inn becoming a party one.

KCONOAIY. Air (lr la Parelle. tic new member for Awn rue. is asking the Prime Minister "whether, in view of the urgent „eed for a substantial reduction m the expenditure of public moneys, lie will nppuini all Economy Committer ol well known public men to investigate all possible means of effecting, economies wit hi nit reducing efficiency." Air de la Parelle. who i- on a fair way io becoming one of the most alori members of t | K . House, has reah-ed that in spile of all ilie honest efforts the Government has made during the hist year or two io reduce public expenditure, there still is a large amount ni‘ waste and extravagance going on. The reply to his question can bo easily anticipated. He will be (old that the expenditure |,as been reduced several millions, that other economies are being effected and Hiai the Government cannot imperil the efficiency of die pul,lie service. AH this will he very plausible and to a large extent true, hut none really behoves that the inflated expenditure of war time, and of years before, has yet been broughi within reasonable dimension'. The apparent restoration of na-

tional prosperity anil the difficulty ol saving the last few millions have stayed the reforming hands.

Tile feeling was expressed that Mr Butler should continue to hold the position as he had an intimate grn>p of the whole of the arrangements, and was at present engaged in AAellingion and Christchurch dealing with it mimher of preliminary matters. The meeting concluded at 5 o’clock.