The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, AUGUST 4 1888. REDUCTION OF MEMBERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1772, 4 August 1888, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, AUGUST 4 1888. REDUCTION OF MEMBERS.

PROPOSED BOROUGH

The present Ministry are safe at any rate for this session. They have weathered the storm, and are now in very smooth water. Last week the Piemier made a most powerful appeal to members to support Mr Pyke’s Otago Central Bill, and an immense majority were in favor of it. A few stonewallers, however, made the Premier swallow the leek. 'I hey talked the bill out, and the Premier had to capitulate to them, and consent to the withdrawal of the bill. Such was the howl of indignation that rose on the Premier wearing the white feather, that it was thought most probably his contemptible surrender would bring him into disfavor, but evidently such is not the case. Mr W. C. Walker, of A shburton, than whom there is not a more consistent thorough Liberal in the House, on last Thursday evening moved (hat the Act to reduce the number of members of Parliament to 74 should not take effect until after the taking of the next census. This appears a very harmless proposal, but' it was regarded by the Premier as a want of confidence motion, and he threatened if it were carried he would dissolve Parliament and go to the country. Those who hare followed the career of Sir Harry Atkinson will at once see that this is exactly like his tactics. When questions of great moment are under discussion he is most urbane and polite, and as willing to alter his proposals to suit circumstances as a Yankee statesman, but when trifling matters of this nature are brought up he at once pounces on the mover with the ferocity of a tiger, raises the standard of the prophet, and proclaims a holy war at once. Sir Harry knew very well that on a small question like this no one would care to go to the country, an i that therefore the threat of dissolution would frighten the timid into supporting him. That is his customary way of frightening members, and it is time they understood that he does not mean it, and that one of the last things he would think of doing would be to dissolve Parliament on such a question. If he was to go to the country now he would not nee the Treasury benches again for a long time.

We must say that we regret to notice that many so-called Liberals voted for the Government on this question. We have from the beginning opposed the reduction of members, and we think it the very worst thing that has happened. Mr Walker recognised this—he recognised it from the beginning—and he did his best to prevent it, and some of those who have favored the reduction will yet see-their mistake. The greatest curse of the colony is that the majority of our ’representatives are, and, have been, the representatives of syndicates, money-rings, and land companies. We have not the least hesitation in saying there is not a company, either foreign or local, in this colony which has not its manager or some of its members in Parliament There is Mr Mills, Manager of the Union S.S. Company; Mr Valentine, only a couple of years out Home, Manager of the New Zealand Land Company ; Mr Arthur, Manager of the Feilding Land Company, and so on. Thus Parliament is made up of such stuff, and when the constituencies are enlarged we shall have no one else in it. On this ground we have always opposed the reduction of members or their honorariums, and the time will come when the people of this colony will curse the day both were retrenched.

The election of Town Boards will take place next month, and it appears to us that it would be as well for the lown Boards of Temuka and Arowhenua to amalgamate into a borough. There are many advantages to be gained. It is always expensive to keep two fires alight and two houses going, it is said, and, if so, it must be expensive to keep two offices, with all that appertains to them. When this proposal was suggested some four years ago the public as a whole were in favor of it, but it was killed by private intrigue, .and consequently the two Boards were brought into existence. Those who intrigued to prevent the constitution of the town into a borough have no longer any interest in the matter, and consequently we do not anticipate that there will be much opposition to the proposal now. While we have here only a Town Board the place will be looked upon as only a little village, whereas, in truth, the two town districts combined will be twice is populous as many of the boroughs already in existence. According to the census of 1886, the population of Temuka on March 31st of that year was 569, and of Arowhenue *476, making in all 1045. There are altogether about 77 boroughs in New Zealand, and of these there are about 30 with less population than we have in Temuka and Arowbenua combined. Let us see, now, what the advantage would be. Supposing, for instance, a man in the North Island wanted to know someihing about Temuka, he would naturally look up the statistics and see that it was a little town district with only 569 inhabitants. He would

take no account of Arowhenutv, because he would not know that it was a part of the town, and consequently he would at once conclude that it was a trifling little village. But if it were constituted a borough, with a population of perhaps 1200, as it no doubt has now, he would say “This is a pretty large place. It is one of the second-rate boroughs of the colony,’’ and he would be far more likely to come to do business hers or to settle m our midst than he would under prevsent circumstances. Besides, w.should.have a mayor and councillors, and take a more important stand amongst the towns of the colony, and as it would be greatly to the advantage of both districts we cannot see how any objection can be raised to the proposal. As far as wo can ascertain there is already a movement on foot with the view of constituting the districts into a borough, and it is probable that something will be done in it.