The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY MAY 29, 1874.

Thames Star, Volume III, Issue 1686, 29 May 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY MAY 29, 1874.

At the usual weekly meeting of the Borough Council last night Councillor Kilgour brought up the subject of increased representation for the Thames. It will admitted by councillors that the matter was one they could scarcely take •ognizance ; of for discussion, but after some conversation a committee was formed to draft two petitions, praying r for increased representation in the General Assembly and in the Provincial Council. We think some further •■ action might be taken in this matter, for success can only be attained by agitation. It may be, and generally has been considered inadvisable to disturb the representation of the country too frequently, but the Thames has now arrived at such an age that to deny it a fair representation in the Colonial Parliament ,is to" permit a. gross injustice. There is no f industry in the colony which has Qrought into existence such a township as that comprised with the Thames Borough ■• in bo short a time; and the permanency . Tof;our! great industry has been established. It is no longer a question of

probability?;, the matter has been reduced to a certaintyi This being admitted, it -.i follow* that the large population settled in this district are prevented from exercising their political rights by , the refusal of the Government to place ' them 011 a political equality with the rest of the Colony. It must be born in mind that this inequality can only be remedied ■in the 'Assembly, which will meet in ■' July next. We cannot imagine that the members of, Assembly representing Southern constituencies wish to keep the Thames down by depriving it of a fair . share of representation; and, impressed ...with, this idea, we say that it is only necessary to put the matter fairly before the Government and the House to obtain that consideration which is. ours by right. Let us agitate in every possible manner to obtain an equal representation with other populous districts. Proceed- by • petition to the Government and to the Assembly. Invoke ' ttie assistance of the members representing the different electoral districts in the City of Auckland, and of those members representing country districts which have benefitttd by the opening of the Thames. If .the Auckland members fail in their duty to urge the claims of the district, Southern members of a liberal tendency will be found ' with political views com* prehensive enough to see that what is asked is but justice. The objection against too frequently disturbing the representation does not now exist. There may possibly be a dissolution at the next 'j; session of Parliament, and the question of addftional representation should be decided at an early period in the session, or else it may happen that a general election will take place while the districts of „ Thames and Coromandel have but one representative between them. The motion, of Councillor Kilgour is one which, $1!followed up by energetic action, may do good towards attaining the object in yiew. - We have said nothing about additional representation in 'he Provincial Council: we look upon that as a. matter of secondary importance. We do think, however, that the Thames is fairly entitled to two representatives. in the House of Representatives independently of Coromandel, which, if population be taken as a , basis, is entitled to a member of its own. , ' We would suggest that as a first st^p: of a pqblio ehftracter the Mayor be r quested

to call a meeting in order to obtain a plain and unmistakable expression of public opinion. If tho matter be left to tbe exertions of a few individuals, it will never be accomplished, but a general agitation may be successful.