Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1911. ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10242, 19 May 1911, Page 4

Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1911. ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION.

The position in regard to the representation of the North and South Islands in. the Parliament of New Zealamd is becoming very interesting. The recent census .shows that there has been a considerably greater increase in population an the North than .in the South Island. Under the existing ilaw, the result must inevitably be that three fresh constituencies will be created in this Island, and three abolished, or merged, in the South. The question has been raised .by the Dunedin Star whether the time has not arrived when there ishould be an. alteration in the law, -which would enable the South Island to retain its existing representation, while permitting of increased representation in tine North. This .means, of that there would require to fee an addition to the number of representatives in Parliament. The opinion generally entertained is that the constituencies are too .small, and that the work of Parliament could be performed in a .more isatisfaetory manner by a fewer number of legislators than we have at present. As the population of the Dominion increases, tlliere will, of course, fee a necessity for further representation, in Parliament. It is absurd to say, however, that it requires eighty men, plus .the Lowls, to transact the business of a million of people, more particularly when it is remembered that the whole of the legislation is framed and passed by a handful of legislators. The first reform that is necessary in New Zealand'is to abolish the system of Government by caucus, and to restore to the democracy the right of full and complete representation. When this' change is effected, it would be isafp to fix the quota to be represented 'by each -.member at, say, 15,000. This would: mean that, with. » population of a million, we should have a Parliament consisting

of .sixty-six (members. This would enable the number of representatives to increase with, the population until they readied the limit, which might be fixed at eighty, when the quota would require to be still further enlarged. The subject is an important one for the Dominion, and should be approached in a non-parti-san and -statesmanlike manner.