The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1881.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3959, 6 September 1881, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1881.

The debate on the third reading of! the Representation Bill was continued last night, Sir George Grey making a lengthy speech on the occasion. -He was most outspoken in.bis : condemnation of the bill, land considered it quite the reverse of a representation measure. He: repudiated the idea that the measure^was anything like that drafted by his cabinet, and pointed out where the bills differed, .saying that it did not follow because advantage had. been taken of one of his proposals, namely, representation on the basis of population, that the measure before the House resembled the measure proposed by his Government. The present Premier, lie remarked, had certainly stolen his clothes often enough, but, this bill was not one of his, for while it professed to give representation on the basis of population it also gave plurality of votes, giving the property-holders an immense advantage. Refusing to grant the qualification was" of little consequence, as loug as the property qualificuiiou would

allow the wealthy man to tiavo a voice in every electorate in the colony, if he so chose. Sir George Grey drew a forcible picture, when lie compared the areas of the land held by individuals in this colony and in Ireland. After giving the number of owners of land in each country, and the average acreage held by each, he stated that while in the United Kingdom there were 10,911 estates of ovei> 1000 acres, representing 52,083,095 acres, or an average size pf 4773 acres, there were in this colony 1663 estates of over 1000 acres, representing 11,084630 acres, or giving an average of 6787 acres. In his speech, he showed how these immense estates had been obtained, and concluded by questioning the honesty of the legislation of the present Government. Mr Hall, in his reply, was most weak—in fact, he refused to deal with the statements made by Sir George Grey, further than by saying they could be easily refuted. He scouted the idea; that the new bill would tend towards separation, or change the seat of Government, but promised to give in 1887 to the North Island . increased representation. We must commend him for his remark that he trusted that at the next elections only men ofi ■ and position would be elected : no doubt referring to the class of professional politicians, or the men without a stake in the country, who, because they sink their identity and allow themselves to be bound hand and foot to.a particular party, secured seats in Parliament. We cannot, however, endorse his opinion that the bill would assist the material welfare of the country, or its political progress, and we believe it will be found a most iniquitous measure in its application. The bill was subsequently passed with a majority of twenty-seven