Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1881. SINGLE ELECTORATES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 84, 21 June 1881, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1881. SINGLE ELECTORATES.

'We are glad to see that the Evening Pos*; has uttered a strong protest against the proposal of the Government to divide Wellington into three' separate electorates. Any attempt to apply a castiron rale to the readjustment of the representation must vesult in confusion and injustice. This remark applies both to the popu lation basis and to the matter of single electorates. If the population basis, pUreaud simple, were adopted, " confusion worse confounded " would result. Important districts would be hacked about, slices being given to several adjoining constituencies to bring them up to the required number ; whilst the result would be the banding together of districts which would be as happy (or as unhappy) as ill-assorted unions generally are. A ' castiron adjustment on the principle of single electorates would result in precisely the same way. District 1 ' whose interests are identical upon all matters of importance would be disunited, and the result would be a con sequent loss of power. The remarks of the Post as to the disadvantages of dividing Wellington into thrse separate constituencies apply with tenfold force to Manawatu. As one united county, with a population of nearly 9,000 souls, this constituency has claims to. two members which cannot be overlooked ; but directly the electoral district is divided, no matter what division is made, our chance of obtaining a second member will flee " like the early cloud or the morning dew." As a matter of fact, our present population is slightly under the number requisite to entitle us to two members on a population basis, but it is so near the number that no Government | desirous of doing justice could shut its eyes to our claim to dual representation. It is only a few weeks ago since we pointed out that Sir William Fox contemplated tacking a large parfc of Manawatu — including Sandon, Carnarvon, and Foxton — on to Rangitikei, with the view of bringing that constituency up to the mark in the matter of population, but we certainly never expected to find a Manawatu journal supporting such a scheme. Nevertheless that !is what the Manawatu Standard does in Friday's issue, for it suggests that the Carnarvon and Sandon districts should be absorbed into Rangitikei on the ground that their interests lie in the direction of Bulls, owinir to the Absence of good ypad communication between them and Foxton, Suoh a proposal would, we believe, be scouted by every intelligent settler ill' the distriots mentioned. The very fact that Carnarvon atid Sandon afre : part -of tbe Couuty. of Manajvafcu binds their interests up with the remainder of this electoral district." ..Further, the population of Sancton and Carnarvon, is together only 1617, and while that number would just bung Rangitikei up to the standard for one member, it would still leave Man*i watu wi^h a population of over 7000, . which woutd be 2060 more than the number necessary for a country constituency. The advantage of having two representatives are sa palpable that we must confess our surprise at the' Manawatu Standard surrendering the ground in this manner Ev&jrparfc of tK#'distwctVwoJild' be nefi^i b^ our rigbts in this, matter being considered; Had ihe artible in question appeared }n the Rangitikei paper we should not have been sar}>rised inihe least, .butftom one pubishedin Manawatu, and ostensibly devoted to the watching of ManawjttiL interests, such a proposal is " passing tfarange."