Mataura Ensign GORE, FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1884. A PORSSHADOWING OF GOVERNMENT POLICY.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 337, 7 March 1884, Page 2

Mataura Ensign GORE, FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1884. A PORSSHADOWING OF GOVERNMENT POLICY.

It seems iin possible in New Zealand to live a general election without fu\-»t tinkering with the law relating thereto. Two years ago there was a s : ..on<r attempt made to repeal the Tr'-'mial Acb. ' This time the cities are "o be united into one electorate, each returning the same number of mem'xirw as at" present. But it is not yet known whether the Government will make this one of their meisures or let Mr Dick bring it in as a private member. In either case it seems that the move is a Cabinet one. It may be doubted whether this is wise policy for the Government. It . is very true that the present system leads to the city members being as widely different as Mr Fish and Mr. M, W. . Gheen. It is unpleasant to the House and destructive to the morals of the community to have two such men exchanging civilities before men and angels on every possible pretext. It would be better perhaps to have the representatives of each town compactly united, but would they not be a greater power for evil then now ? Would they not bleed the treasury more successfully, and would they not be less representative of the people who are always divided than they now are 1 Besides, when the old system obtained were cities not often divided against themselves % Did not Christchurch elect Sir Geoege Grey, Mr Andrews, and Mr Stevens — two "Radicals and a Conservative ? Is not this division continually illustrated in elections, and what prospect is there of mending it by the present proposal 1 Besides, we believe it was the Christen urch election referred to that caused the present arrangement to be brought about. It was seen that there were working men enough in most cities to swamp all the other voters, and to leave property with representation. But it wad known that working men generally W quarters of the cities to themselves, apart from the residences of the rich and from the centre oi: business. It appeared there*fore to the powers that then were that to divide the cities into, say, three electorates, would conftap the working men's vote to their own quarter and allow property to elect its representar tive in its quarter. The device was no doubt successful, and the laboring class w&s uq longer able, under enthusiasm awakened by Sir George Grey, to elect two or even ail fhreo of the members for a city. It appears to us that this is still a good reason for keeping things as they are,and that by abolishing it the Government only throw away sevevai supporters and conciliate nobody.