REPRESENTATION BILL THE "POST" ON THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS. THE CITIES, (BY TELEGRAPH-STAR REPORTER.) Wellington, August 5.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 391, 7 August 1889, Page 5

REPRESENTATION BILL THE "POST" ON THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS. THE CITIES, (BY TELEGRAPH-STAR REPORTER.) Wellington, August 5.

The consideration of the following additional figures besides those I sent on Saturday, will give you a better idea how the Government Bill would have worked. They show the position of affairs taken under the Bill introduced by the Government, by which boroughs and small towns were included, and the quota deducted from the cities. Government Bill : Under 25 per cent, deduction—Town, 10,220, with 14"5 members ; country, 7,665, with 55*5 members. 33J per cent, deduction — Towns, 11,232, and 13-2 members ; country, 7,488, and 568 members. Under 25 per cent, added to the country, the'towns 9,7l3, and 15 2 members ; country, 7,770, and 54 8 members. Note. — If there were 28 per cent, deduction — Towns, 10,557, and 14*0 members ; country, 7,601, and 56 "0 members. After quoting these and the figures I sent you on Saturday the "Post" says: "It will be seen from the above that the Government Bill proposed to give the country no less than 55 "5 of members, or practically 56, while the extreme country party, seeking to make the deduction from the city populations 33^ per cent, would actually have obtained 57 out of the 70 members. These figures will enable the public to appreciate the rapacity of the extreme country party, and how desirous they were of denuding the centres of population of all political power, leaving to them no potential voice whatever in the government of the country. They also afford an ample justification of the determined resistance which the town party have so successfully offered, and which has forced the other side into a more reasonable frame, of mind. The stake at issue was one well worth fighting for, and the town members have deserved well of their constituents for defending so steadily and bravely the interests of those they represent. In reality the country party have now got nothing more than was freely offered them from the very outset. Their nominal gain of 3 per cent, of fictitious population gives therm no greater political power, but we suppose it will in some degree soothe their feelings of disappointment at not having succeeded in one of the most barefaced attempts to secure a monopoly of power which has ever been recorded in the political history of any country."

CONSIDERED CITIES. The following is the list of municipalities which under the present arrangement will be placed on the same footing as the four cities: — New Plymouth, Nelson, Greymouth, Thames, Gisborne, Onehunga, Devonport, Palmerston N., Masterton, Port Chalmers, Hokitika, Lyttelton, Wanganui, Blenheim, Oamaru, Napier and Titnaru.

NINETY-ONE MEMBERS. The "Post" still harps on the desirability of retaining 1 ninety-one members, and expresses a hope that betore the Representation Bill is donewith,thesuspensionof the repeal Act ( for two years will be effected. It laughs to scorn the idea that the Government will appeal to the country on the question, for. it says: — " Ministers are far too strongly attached to their seats to render it at all likely that they will do anything to precipitate a divorce from them. The Colonial Secretary gave himself away last night when he admitted that if the reduction of members were suspended until the deliberate verdict of the country could be taken on the question, the suspension would mean repeal. If Ministers believe this, and we do not doubt that they do, they would not be in the least likely to hasten that result by a premature appeal. They know right well also that if a dissolution took place now this question of the number of members would occupy a very insignificant position amongst the other and larger questions upon which the elections would turn. They are perfectly aware that the public voice would with no uncertain tones proclaim condemnation of their policy and their administration, and demand their expulsion from office. They know too that a general election would almost certainly remove what is now their great and almost only safeguard — the difficulty, if not impossibility, of getting- suitable men to take their places. The electors would take care to remove this objection by sending good men into the House. Altogether, then, 1 members need not in the least fear dissolution whatever they may please to do or leave undone in regard to the Representation Bill. The proved capacity of Ministers for swallowing camels of principle forbids the possibility of believing that they should for a moment strain at sach a gnat as the suspension of the reduction of the number of members."

A SORRY SPECTACLE. The following leaderette in the "Evening Post " of Saturday night presents one aspect of the position ot affairs on Friday over the Representation Bill. " The situation in the House yestei'day was unique. We doubt if any body of politicians calling 1 themselves a Government ever^ccupieda position so utterly despicable and humiliating as that which Ministers accepted with such complacency. They sat in their places moving an adjournment, while a couple of self-appointed and irresponsible committees of private members were engaged upstairs hacking a Ministerial Policy Bill about until it was deprived of all trace of the policy it was supposed to embody. The members engaged in the work of transformation did not even ask a member of the Ministry to be present while their bantling was being dealt with, and Ministers sat still waiting to be told by the caucus what their policy was to be, and what they would be required to accept and support. They sat with closed eyes and open mouths waiting to see what the meeting upstairs would drop in. It was a sorry sight to any believer in constitutional government, or in party founded upon principle. The representation of the people is a subject on which the Government should direct and lead the House and upon which it. should- entertain a distinctly defined policy. The presenb Government have entirely abrogated their functions, and have shown themselves willing to become the passive tools of any majority which will allow them to retain their seats on the Treasury benches. Their policy begins and ends with a determination to stick there as long as they possibly can, no matter what they have to do in order to keep their places."

" There will be a domestic storm," he murmured, as he heard a crash in the kitchen. "The glass is falling." Tho room was dark, the maiden rose To fetch a match, she said — But he persuaded her to stay And make a match instead. " Doctor," said a lawyer to a clergyman, "if the parson and the devil went to law,' which do you think would -win?" "The devil, sir. for all the lawyers would be on his side."