INCREASED REPRESENTATION FOR THE THAMES.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 266, 15 August 1872, Page 3

INCREASED REPRESENTATION FOR THE THAMES.

A meeting of the committee appointed at th’e public meeting, held at the Academy of Music, on Tuesday evening, was held at the Court House Hotel last evening. Present—Messrs Mitchell (in the chair), Swan, Mackay, Warmoll,' and Robertson. Mr Robertson was requested to act as honorary secretary, and the committee then proceeded to draft a petition to the Assembly, praying for increased representation for the Thames. The petition agreed on is as follows:—“That the export of gold from the said district during the year ending 31st December, 1871, as shown in the official returns, was 330,326 ounces, of the value of £1,188,708, the duty on which may be estimated at £41,000. The other items of goldfields revenue during the same period amounted to £9,413, and the contribution to Provincial revenue in the same year was upwards of £SOOO. That the inhabitants of the said district are large consumers of dutiable goods, and thereby contribute materially to the general revenue of the Colony, in addition to the special goldfields taxation above stated. That the said district is not justly represented in the General Assembly of the Colony according to its population or the amount of taxation paid by its inhabitants, as may be shown from three distinct points of view, viz.:— (1.) It is not justly represented as compared with the electoral districts of the whole Colony. (2.) It is not justly represented as compared with the other goldfields of the Colony. (3.) It is not justlj r represented aa compared with the general electoral districts in the Province of Auckland. That, in consideration of the foregoing premises, your petitioners pray your honourable House will, during the present session of Parliament, cause such an amendment to be made in the Representation Act as will give to the electoral district of the Thames such an increase in its representation as to your* honourable House may seem fit. And your petitioners, &c.”