The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 569, 27 February 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1878.

Hepkksentat[i>n reform is one of those subjects which Parliament will have to deal with during the ensuing session. The Ministry are pledged to bring down :i measure to e fiVcr an. alteration in the present unequal and unjust state of the representation of the Colony. What that measure will i.e like o; course cannot oven be guessed ;it v.ith any ileyree ot certainty : but. trout what lias already transpired. v.e are led to believe that the ruling principle will be representation according to population. While generally approving of such a proposal, we cannot help thinking that there are so many difficulties to be overcome as to render the carrying out of the scheme to a successful issue extremely problematical. Indeed, we believe that, were Parliament to devote its attention during the session solely to this one question, members would not be able at the close of the session to congratulate themselves upon having achieved complete success. Turn which way we may fresh difficulties stare

us in the face, and we rise from a careful consideration of the subject fully convinced that the legislator who succeeds in framing a measure that will meet one-half of the difficulties with which the subject is beset must be something more than mortal. Representation accord "•- in numbers, however apparently just ami • rect

theoretically, is, to our minda, ut-.ciiy [ impracticable. In the first place, how is the number of representatives to be determined > What number of persons is to be deemed sufficient to entitle a district to a representative in Parliament ! If representation according to population is to be strictly adhered to some minimum of population must be fixed to entitle a district to a representative, and how is this minimum to be arrived at? Are cities and country districts to be treated in precisely the same manner ? These are onlv a few of the many questions that require answering. If we take the estimated population of the Colony and the present number of members of the House of Representatives, we find that there is a representative to about every 4,800 persons. Now, supposing this number were fixed as the minimum, what is to become of those small but otherwise important districts—and there are many such—whose populations are below the stipulated number :' Are they to be left totally unrepresented until such times as their populations entitle them to have a voice in the Legislature, or are they to be thrown into some other districts with which they have no interests in common. Then, again, would Dunedin, with an estimated population of about 25.000, or one sixteenth of the total population of the Colony, be entitled to return a member for every 4800 persons residing in rise city :' It so. Dunedin would then get live members, and have a fair start towards obtaining a sixth representative. Then, we would ask, is the number of number.; of the House to be limited, or are districts to become entitled to an additional member directly their populations increase by the stated number ; or, is there to be a fresh readjustment of the representation, and a fresh minimum fixed directly the representation is found again to be out of proportion to population. Under the system of representation according to numbers.. as it appears to us, there cannot be anything like finality of legislation on the subject. On the contrary, it would be necessary to re-open the matter every few years, and more time and money would be expended on the re-adjusimeiit of the representation than it would be worth. At the first blush, the pr0,,..5al appears perfectly fair, and strictly in accordance with the true spirit of representative government ; bur when properly analysed and fairly considered, the difficulties to the scheme must at once become apparent to everv dispassionately thinking man. Representation according to population I would give an undue- preponderance to I large ceutns ..-f population to the detriment of outlying districts, unless, indeed, some arrangement was made whereby the minimum of persons in country districts entitled to representation was made somewhat lower than that in cities and towns. But we hold that representation should not be based entirely upon population. The special circumstances of different portions of the Colony should be taken into consideration, no matter on what basis a re-adjust-ment of representation is made. That a re-adjustment of representation is urgently demanded everyone must admit. Year by year the representation of the Colony has become more and more out of proportion, and it is impossible to turn in any quarter of the country without meeting with some glaring discrepancies. A re-adjustment on some sound basis must be effected before another election takes place. .No amount of mere tinkering, such as has been practised during the past will suffice. A complete revision of the whole matter is the only possible remedy, and all honour to the man who succeeds in skilfully performing the difficult operation.