THE REPRESENTATION BILL.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1887, Page 1

THE REPRESENTATION BILL.

In the Legislative Council the AttorneyGeneral moved the second reading of the Representation Bill to provide for the reduction of the Lower House to 74 members on the expiration of the present Assembly. The object, he said, was partly to effect retrenchment, and he hoped the Council would nob stand in the way of the proposal of the other Chamber. The Hon. Mr Waterhouse doubted whether it was exactly constitutional to give the Government an almost despotic power by enabling them to force a dissolution and reduce the number of members whenever they chose. Hon. George McLean regarded the bill as the special retrenchment measure of the session, as by beginning with themselves tho Legislature showed its earnestness. The Ministry had nob the power of dissolution, which vested entirely with the Governor. The Hon. Mr Scotland said the bill was a preposterous and dangerous measure, and one which he did not for a moment believe expressed the wishes of the people. It "was a sword of Damocles held over tho heads of members of the House. Hon. Mr Stevens said it was the earnest desire of the constituencies for a reduction of the number of representatives, and the bill was only a fair attempt to give effect to that wish. The Hon. Mr Reynolds aupported the bill as it stood, being of opinion that the matter was one in which the Government was obliged to take a stand. There was a long and interesting discussion on the bill, in which Messrs Mantel, Menzies, Peacock, Oliver, Bonar, Shrimski and Dignan took part, and the second reading of the bill was passed on the voices.