PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3942, 17 August 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(Pek Piiess Association.)

Wellington, Yesterday.

In the House to-day the business—sare the discussion on the .Representation Bill— was only of an unimportant character* cousisfciujj ciiieiiy of-auswots to auesfcious.

THE REPRESENTATION BILL

The dsbate oq this Bill was resumed by Mr Levestain, who condeniued the bill, and intimated his intention of roting against it. I Mr Hutehinson stated a number of objections to the bill, but intimated that he would support it to a second reading. In committee he would take steps to have his objections amended. Mr Russell also objected to the bill, announcing that he did not do so ou party grounds.aud that bis action would not in any way interfere with his party ties. He strongly objected to the proposal to exclude Maories from the population basis, but thought special representation should be done away. Hawke's Bay and Westland represented one-fifteenth of the exports of the colony, while they had not an equal proportion of the representation. He objected to towns being given anything like the same proportionate representation as country districts. Considering the number of members who lived in Wellington city, he objected to its representation being iuereased. He urged a number of ob jections to th« special native representation but would place the natives on the ordinary electoral roll, either as property owners or on account of their manhood residence He believed this would be more beneficial and acceptable to the natives than the present system. Mr Bunny objected to the threats and bribes offered to the Wellington members Neither the threat of moving the seat of Government or the bribe of getting a direct steam service, would affect their votes. He expressed entire approval of the bill. There was no reason to fear any i combination of Otago and Canterbury. ] He would rather trust the sympathies of Canterbury than the tender mercies of Auckland. To take the natives into account of the population would be to give Auckland another five members, and in time to shut Maoris out of the House altogether. Tawhiai, while claiming the rights of British subjects for the natives, under the Treaty of Waitangi, would not consent to forego the special native representation in ParliamcMit. Mr Ballance said the natives could not be included in the population compilation unless they consented to give tip their special representation. He contended that population was the only true basis of representation. He thought the proposals of the bill in this respect fair as a whole towards the various provincial districts, arid he was not at all afraid of the preponderance proposed to be given to the South. He did not agree with the difference of quota between towns and country districts. He defended Sir Greo. Grey from the attacks made by Sir W. Fox.

LATER

Wellington. This day.

Mr Tomoaua opposed the bill; it would be injurious to the natives, and they should be allowed to consult their constituents about it before it became law.

Mr Seddon opposed the bill as unjust to the Goldfields ; he was sure the operation of single electorates would be injurious. Mr Bastiugs would support the second reading, but protosted against the proposal to abolish his district. It was one of the most rising in Otago, and in Committee he would endeavor to have the bill altered in this respect.

Mr lieeves opposed the bill as unfair to the Goldfields, and in the matter of the West Coast, which was now temporarily depressed, there was a probability soon of there being a very large population there.

Mr Shrinaski was dissatisfied with the boundaries of his district, and would try to alter them in committee, but he would vote for the second reading. Mr Brown spoke to similar effect, and Mr Andrews supported the bill.

Mr Hall held that populatiou must be the main basis of representation, and no other principle had even been suggested. Population entitled Otago and Canterbury to the representation proposed to be given, thus the inci'ease was not due to the expenditure of borrowed money, but to their natural suitability for settlement. He believed the bill was a fair one to the colony, and thought the public would so regard it. The Maori question could be better discussed on Wood's amendment when going into committee.

The House divided on the second reading.—Ayes, 49: Allwright, Andrews, Bain, Ballauce, Bastings, Beetham, Bow-en, Brandon, Brown, Bryce, Bunuy, Colbeck, DeLautour, Dick, Fisher (Heathcote), Fisher (Buller), Fulton, Grey, Hall, Hurst, Hutchison, Johnson, .Kelly, Levin, Macandrew, Mason, McCaughau, McDonald, McLean, Montgomery, Murray, Oliver, Ormond, Pyke, Hiehardsou, Bolleatoii, Saunders, Seymour, Shanks, Shrimski, Stevens, Studholme, Sutton, Swauson, Thompson, Trimble, Whitaker, Wood, Wright.— .Noes, 16: Collins, George, G-ibbs, Gisborne, Harris, Hirst, Hursthouse, Levestain, Luudon, Moss, Pitt, iieeves, Seddon, Sheehau, Shepherd, and Westou. —Pairs, ayes; Atkinsou, Finn, Moorhouse, Turnbull, Jones, Kenny, Fox, Barron, Wakefield.— Nous: laiaroa, Hamliu, Tomoana, Jieid, Speight, Wallis, Kussell, Tewheoro, and Tole.

The bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed next sittiug.

The House rose at 12,