PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 277, 28 August 1872, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

REPRESENTATION OF THE THAMES DISTRICT. Mr O’Neill, in moving the motion standing in his name, said he had brought the subject forward simply as a matter of fair play towards the district which he had the honor to represent, and which was by far the largest in the Colony, the inhabitants numbering about 14,000. He believed the House would agree with him that such a large population should have more than one representative in that House. In order to make a comparison with the other districts in the Colony, lie would quote some figures from a paper laid before the House last session, showing the population,exclusive of aboriginal natives, in the various electoral districts, as ascertained from the last census taken in 1871. With reference to the number of members composing that House* he found from the paper referred to that there was one representative for under 1000 people; twelve representatives for between 1000 and 2000 people each ; eighteen for between 2000 -and 3000 ! people each : sixteen for between 3000 and 4000 people each: and nine for between 4000 and 5000 people each. There were, therefore, in that House, 56 members who represented under 5000 people. Ho found by the paper referred to that the population of the district which he represented was given as 11,950, or more than double the population represented by two-thirds of the members of the House. The next largest district wss the Grey Valley (Mr Hairison’s) which had a population of 8275. The following districts returned two representatives :—Dunedin, containing 14,804 people ; Christchurch, with a population of 12,466 ; Auckland City West with a population of 8622 ; the City of “Wellington, with 7836 people ; Franklyn, with 7567 people ; and the City of Nelson, with 5481 people. According to the published returns, the population of the Thames district was 11,950, so that it was only just and fair that it should be allowed two members. He might mention, also, the importance of tlie district was recognised by the Provincial Council, where the Thames proper was represented by four members, Coromandel by one member, or five members for the whole district.

He might be wrong in supposing that some objection might be raised against giving an additional member to the Province of Auckland, but he was at the same time justified in supposing that honorable members would not permit any particular boundary to interfere with the fair representation of the people. He trusted those honorable members who represented miners wouldsupport the motiou.

He was very glad that the important goldfields of Otago were so well regresented in that House, and he trusted that tho representatives of those districts would assist him in obtaining what was a matter of simple justice. He had always felt anxious to advance the interests of the goldfields in every part of the Colony, and last session lie introduced a resolution having for its object the reduction of the miners’ right fee from 20s to 10s, although it would not have affected bis district, because the land there was chiefly owned by the Maoris, with whom a special arrangement was made. He would now show the position of the Thames with respect to the amount of gold exported. The return for 1871 showed the following result :

It thus appeared for the year 1871 Aucklaud exported nearly one-half of the total value of gold exported from the Colony. During the last six mouths ending 30th June there had been a falling off. The returns for that period were

The total value of gold exported from the Colony up to the 30th June last, represented in value £25,463,199. Having shown the importance of the Thames district both in regard to population, and to the quantity of gold exported, lie hoped the House would agree to the motion, seeing that it was simply a question of fair play. — Hansard.

Locality Quantity Value oz £ Auckland .. 330,000 1,188,708 Pictou ... 1,082 4,328 Nelson ... .. 10,799 43,196 West port .. 47,846 191,384 Greymouth ... : 86,874 347,496 Hokitika .. 91,020 364,080 Okarito... 7,137 28,548 Dunedih .. 150,652 602,608 Invercargill . 4,288 17,152 Lyttelton 5 20 Total .. 730,029 2,787,520

Locality Auckland Marlborough . Nelson ... Westland Otago ... Quantity oz ... 71,701 1,030 ... 49,282 ... 60,865 ... 104,796 Value £ 246,316 4,120 197,120 243,460 419,184 Total .. 287,672 1.110,200