REMARKS UPON THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3918, 20 July 1881, Page 2

REMARKS UPON THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sic,—For the last month the united wisdom of the colony has been [ collected in the city of match-boxes—-Wellington, and from the present appearance of affairs there, members are likely to sit some time longer before this portion of the colony is likely to derive any benefit from their deliberations. Members from different parts of the colony hare been introducing a large number of purely local measures, which might be dealt'with-By a County Council, or even by a Highway Board; but four measures of colonial importance have been introduced of some importance to this district—namely, a new Licensing Bill, Local Government, Local Elections Amendment, and the .Redistribution of Seats Bill. Is the latter bill a fair or a just one, in which population only is taken into account ? If so,'.it seems strange that the statesmen of Great Britain, France, and the United States have not so based the representation of those countries on a similar basis; yet, if they had done so, then London would havo had more members in the House of Commons than all Scotland. If then in such an old country as England it is not considered "a. fair basis, can it be considered "so in a young country like- .New Zealand;- where the population is increasing 'rapidly, and where, owing to a large mining population, changes take place that are not known in older countries ? The late rush to Te Aroha is a fair sample of "this*" wh&r.e*in a few weeks a population of 700 or 800 was drawn from tbe other parts of the Provincial district, most of whom have again returned to their former abodes. The present proposal of the Government is to increase the members of the House to 91 —65 for the South Island, and 36 for the North. It must be remembered that the whole colony has paid "for the .increased population of the Souths andl\ not the £outh alone. Such then being the case, it cannot be considered fair that the South. Island should have 20 more members than the North. The present-population of the colony in round numbers, is t>jQO,OOO, exclusive of the natives—South Island 300,000, North Island 200,000, including natives, about 230,000; and why should not the natives be taken in on a basis of population ? We know the natives have four members, but under the proposed scheme they are entitled to eight. Would it not be a better scheme to reduce the number, instead of increasing it, say to sixty fire—3s for the South Island, and 30 for the North ? and no double seats. We have seen the evil of such in Wanganui and the Thames, whereby both places more than once Would have been better without any member, as one was to be found on each side of the House. If! the number was reduced, the business of the colony would be done in less time, and at a reduced cost. Large centres of population should have double the number of country districts, as it is the country settlers lhat'support the towns; AS without settlement there would be no cities. Of course it would never do to have such districts as Itotara on the West Coast with 175 electors, or Cheviot in Marlborough with barely a 100, as electorates. All (iiis sort of thing should be now avoided. Of Local Government, from what we can leara, there are three proposals before the House—one being simply to amend the Counties Act, giving Counties increased powers to tax the inhabitants, making Government and Native lands rateable property, creating a board who, would be empowered to^mak'e advances to local bodies for specified works. There can be no doubt that these amendments would be an improvement on the present system, and might suit some districts on which the colony has been lavish ot expenditure, where roads aud railways have been made, so that there is now nothing for local bodies to do, except put money out at interest for which they cau find no profitable 9-otk. Districts like the Thames must be specially provided for,, as our wants are greater, not in proportion, to our population than those of other parts of the colony, but from the fact that while large expenditure was going on elsewhere we were excluded from deriving any benefit whatever, 1 and the few thousand pounds that have been given to the local bodies since the Counties Act came into operation is a long way short of what they were entitled to, and as nothing when compared to other portions of the colony during the same period. Measure No. 2.—Sir George Grey's bill is a modified form of Provincialism in some points, but gives greater powers in others, and is evidently meant to decentralise, and as such^must be acceptable. The third proposal, that of Mr Sheehan, to abolish the Abolition Act, may mean more than it says, and is meant evidently as a feeler, of which we will hear zgicnra hereafter. As it is nonsense to tallrWc again establishing Provincialism pnre and simple : this district had quite enough of that system of Government. The third proposal of the Government, the Licensing Act, must be considered a step in the right direction, but it is questionable whether the clause giving power to the ratepayers to elect commissioners will be found a benefit to the general community, as it is doubtful if the friends and advocates of temperance would take trouble to select men for an office in which they had no direct interest, and others, for business reasons, would refuse to take any part, while the vested publican and? brewery interest would vote to a man for the return of men suitable to themselves, and on the Thames I believe they would have the best of it. Local elections and other matters in my next.—l am, &c. f Obsebveh. P.S.—I think the Thames Liberal Association would do well to have discussions on the above subject, aud let us outsiders know their opinion thereon, instead of a | reading of "Shall we stay in NowZealand? —a really well written paper, but. which every one eao buy for Is and read fur themselves. H