The Lyttelton Times. MONDAY, MAY 5, 1884.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1677, 5 May 1884, Page 2

The Lyttelton Times. MONDAY, MAY 5, 1884.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION.

A few days ago the Times reported Mr Bunny to be pvzzled by a question put to him as to his opinion on " proportional representation," but it is possible tliat our contemporary was not exactly on this occasion an impartial critic, If, however, "proportional representation" happened to be a political question beyond Mr Bum's experience, heisonlyinthesameposition as John Bright who is accused by a writer in the " Nineteenth Century" of not understanding it.' " Proportional representation" merely indicates a moro perfect form of representation than that wnicli now obtains. It is only a secondary interest in New Zealand as a sort of standard by which we can measure the, changes in : our electoral laws whi<!ji have been effected' during the past few years, The only practical means yet invented to give a community " proportional representation" is HaAe'b system, but as this particular method is admitted to be

too complex to be understood or appreciated . by the average Anglo-Saxon 1 elector, \ve may., regai'd proportional'' representation as-, out of our immediate veacb, Holding, however, that "proportional representation"'is an ideal which ultimately must be realised, it is important that any. i changes made in electoral laws should approach it. Should they on the contrary recede from it, they may safely Re affirmed to bo - wrong in principle. After the last general election Sir Joiin Hall claimed that though almost an equal number of Ministerial acd Opposition candidates were returned, the aggregate of the votes to Ministerialists was greater than that given to their opponents. Now " proportional representation' would, under theso circumstances, have given the Ministry a majority in the House, and the fact that it did not do so argued that our system of representation is defective. The general election of 1881, was fought under electoral conditions which were then new to this country, and it is these innovations which, in our opinion, have been a step taken backwards —a moving away from the proportional representation which should be. our goal.' Prior to 1881 the. electoral | districts of New Zealand were larger J than they are now, and consequently ; less numerous. Under a perfect sys ; tern of proportional representatioiy electoral districts are few and large. In making our electoral districts numerous, we adopted a wrong principle, and the result has been a deteriorated Parliament, Even the Ministry now admit that the subdivision of towns into two, three and four elec- ' toral districts was a mistake, and are • prepared to" eat the leek" by bringing in a Bill to consolidate the town electorates, Of course if the principle of small single-seated electorates is wrong, i a mistake has also been mado in the country as well as in towns. Ministers, however, just now are . more anxious to secure political support in towns than in the country; it follows, ■ therefore, that though the mistake which has been made in towns is likely to be corrected, the wrong that has been done in the country will be perpetuated. In the Wairarapa, for . example, wo have been divided into two political camps. The interests and requirements of a settler living to the north, of tho Waingawa river are , much the same as those of.a settler living south of the stream, but Parlia--1 ineiit in its single-seated electoral wisdom thought lit to divido a district which should have been practically, as ' well as geographically, united, In old times a Wairarapa elector had the ' .privilege of voting for two candidates for the Houso; now he can exercise his vote for one candidate only, and till time brings about changes in the direction of " proportional representation," his clmnce of being represented in Parliament by a candidate in whom ' he has confidence is weakened,

The Phcenix Lodge LO.G.T, meets tliii evening.

A man who thoroughly understands the breeding and management of ferrets is wanted at lea Station,

MrT. Garland, tinsmith, of Molesworth street, has a special notice to dealers in milk in our advertising columns, Tenders are Invited by the Public Works Department for the. Danevirke portnanout way contract of the Wellington Napier railway.

Messrs Reid and Gray call attention by advertisement to their new " Positive Feed Broad-cast. Seed Bower," and to iheir "Jointed Pulverising Diso Harrows," Tho installation of Masonic officers in St Mark's Lodge, Carterton, ia fixed for the 13th instant,

At tho Taralalii-Carlerlon Road Board elections Mr W. Parker beat Mr L. Nix by eighteen yoles to eleven, and Mr Dorset prevailed over Mr Eaton by twenty-eight votes to twenty.

Tho Salvation Barracks last evening were crowded from platform to door, and tho now officor, " Captain" Bowerman, conducted the service with considerable energy and success.

The programme of Ihe Wairarapa Coursing Club is published in another column. Nominations' close at tho Club Hotel, Mastcrton, on tho 29th May, at 8p m. The coursing to take place at the Lower Valley on tho 3rd June. Messrs Jones and Ashdown, tailors, of Lambton-quay (opposite Barrett's Hotel), Wellington, have a new announcement in our advertising columns, They announce the arrival of a magnificent stock' of winter, goods, and inform patrons that their personal supervision is given to all work, so that satistaction is a certainty. At the Wellington meeting of D.P, McCarthy's creditors, Messrs Aitkon and Wilson offered a composition of ten shillings in the £, but the creditors present declined this offer as insufficient, and instructed the assignee to realize on tho estato if a hotter one was not fortlb coming.

• An able teacher soon makes headway in New Zealand, A few months ago Mr W. H. Jackson, a brother-in-law of ,Mr Grundy, of the Maste.rton school, arrived in this colony with unmistakeable credentials, and took a junior position in'a Wellington city school as a start, We notice now that ho is appointed senior assistant master of tho Mount Cook School,

Messrs Williamson & Co., the well known brokers, in their May Investors' guide slates that money cannot bo quoted, from a banker's point of view at least, otherwise than as plentiful; thei'o is a deal of it at present seeking placement, bat buyers aro extremely fastidious in selecting stock, and koen enquiry is made as lo the charactor and npplicibility of reserve funds in the various financial institutions. It is jußtly'urged concerning reserves, so called, that the term is mostly misleading, for that no arrangement of business nor adaption of balance skeels can satisfactorily be substituted for security in hands or responsible Trustees, instantly convertible into sovereigns, to meet any special emergency.. It is not to be assumed that reserves locked up in land or merged in the general business of any company may he made immediately realisable to face, for instance, a run on fixed deposits or clamorous demand for cash. Such occurrences are by no means unprecedented, nor even infrequent elsewhere, and will have inevitably to be dealt with sooner or later in New Zealand, Shareholders surely may reasonably require that every financial statement, issued by public companies should clearly show the exact nature ,of the securities and resources, of the reserve fund,

Good for babies.—" We are pleased to say that our baby was permanently cured of a protracted irregularity of tho bowels by the use of Hop Bitters by its mother, which at the same time restored her to perfect healthjand strength,"—ram WREHW; See,

■ \Tbo^ second &i| tho winter entertain' mentslll conn®ion with St. Matthew's Church will bl held on Thursday, the: Bth inst., in tho Sunday schoolroom,

The meeting of Mr D. Knight's creditors convened for this morning at 11 o'clock, lapsed for want of a quorum, and waa adjourned by the Deputy-Assignee' till four p|olock this afternoon.

Mr J, Crimp, builder and contractor of Pahiatua, hits a business announcement in our advertising olumnf, Mr. Crimp should liavo a busy timo before him in that rapidly advancing township. ,:r There was a very satisfactory i attendance .of ratepayers at the 'annual meeting of the 'Masterterton.Road Board ori Saturday last, and tho chairman expressed-a -commendable solicitude that tho ratepayers should thoroughly under" stand the details of the: 1 report and balance slieot and take an intelligent part in tho proceedings. To enable them, however, to do this, it would be well next year to publish the report and balance sheet prior to the meetms, so ■ that ratepayers could study it at their leisure, and be prepared with any questions whioh thoy inay desire to put to tho Board. v. The woather was somewhat broken), writos our prophet, during the past week,, cold and damp towards tho end. Rain fell on two d-ijs; total rainfall for week, ■345 parts of anincli. The night previous to the rain it was noiicod that the stars twinkled considerably, and this is deemed an almost certain sign of: rain, Queeryl ..What -is the cause of.this twinkling? Although tho stars in appearance do seem to twinldo, yet it cannot be the staid, steady, sober stars themselves which produce this oscillation, no more than a window 011 which the rays of tho sun fall, produces'the twinkle seen in tho reflected .suu rays. Tho window can only reQect, hot produce, Can wo apply this manner of reasoning to the stars. I think: not. Mean haromoler reading for tho week is 80 01 inches, which is very high The barometer uow is on a downward course, and wo may expect a change. For the thermometer the tnenn is ,45 Fall. The wind as a rule was light but changeable. During the past month only 1'0 ; 10 inches of rain fell, just about one-half whicu fell for the same mouth in 1883. One somewhat remarkable fact took place, i e, on fifteen days the barometer stood at or above 30 inches, I have no record in 30 years of this taking place in New Zealand. On twenty-four days it was One, and only six days rain fell. . Sir George Grey is en route for the Middle Island,

Telograms requiring to bo posted to or from any lelograph station within the colony are now conveyed free of all post-' age charges. "Tennxicum" is the latest novelty advertised and is obtainable at Mr T. G. Mason's establishment, "Tenaxicnui" is introduced before tho public without puff or embellishment, and is expected to moro than " hold its own." Messrs Lowes and loms add to thei r stock sale for next Friday 20 head 0 young cattle, tlioy also draw the attention of tho public to tho iacfc of these cattle being bred and rearod in tho Wanganui district, a disu'ict famous for the quality of its stock. • The first meeting of -the Masterton creditors of Mr It. 11. Chincheii, bank ■

rupt, was held m the old court room' this morning at 11 a.ni,, three creditors, the dubtor, and Ihe Official Assignee's deputy (Mr W. Selliir), beinjj present. Tho ektemont of liabilities showed the following principal creditors John Watt, bookseller, Wellington, L 237 15s 8d ; Lyon & Blair, stationers, L2l Is Gd; Whiiaker Bros., fancy goods moil, L 32 12s sd; Eberb & Snotsinger, LIS 14s 8d; Blundell Bros,, newspaper proprietors, Lll 10i; J. G, Harris,, newspaper proprietor, L 25 9s ; Monteith's estate (Chemist), Ll2 2s sd, M. Oaaelberg& Co,i Ll6; Canterbury Times Co;, Lll 15s 8d; Smith and Wilson (Merchants) LIG 3s; J. and R. Sloan (Tailors), LlO 10s; 0. Dixon, LB2 IGs; Whitcombo and Tombes, publishers, LIS 12a; W.Perry

(butcher), L 9, There aro several amounta below LlO. bringing the total up to L 520 lis The probable assets are now stated to be LlB7. It was decided that the Official Assignee be requested to prepare a statement of the debtor's business as shown by his books of account for the past two years. The meeting was then formally adjourned to Tuesday next at Iho Supreme Courthouse', Wellington, at 11 o'clock.

In the different London parishes £7OOO a year is expended iu paying for sermons and lectures. Sachem, the American borso, who ran third to Shotover in the Derby, won tho Sandown Grand Hurdle Race easily. He never won a race ou tho flat.

Tho pipe which the Shah of Persia smokes iu public, on state occasions; called "II Kalidiu,"js entirely encrusted with a "conglomerate" of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds,. Its estimated value is over £BO,OOO sterling. The lower part of tho town of Los Angelca, California, has been flooded by tho bursting of a dam, caused by recent heavy rains. Forty buildings wnro completely sweptaway by ihe volumo of water which poured into tho town, and hundreds of fanilies have boon rendered homeless.

"llow is Johnnie doing at school?" asked a lady of Johnnie's ma during a call. "Splendidly. He talks-in two. languages now." " Dear me. What are they; French or German ?" "Oh I no. English and profane," One of tho best crops yet heard of in tho North Canterbury district is (says the Press) that of Mr H. Mahler, of Sefton, who last week threshed out 41 acres of oals, which gave f'iiet yield of 3379 bushels, equal to 109 bushels to tho acre.

The Duke of Westminster, presiding at the annual meeting on board the Olio, training ship, at Chester, on the 15tli of February, said it was satisfactory to find out of GGO boys whoso names had been put upon the books 300 had gone through -their, training, and of that number 233 had entored tho merchant service, and 7 tho lioyal Navy.

A village called Zychdorf, near Tames var, Hungary, which ia inhabited'almost exclusively by Germans, is in danger of being overwhelmed by an extraordinary outflow of water from the artesian wells, A large mill has already fallen in, and many of the houses aro flooded. Eooan on bats.—Clears out ral3. mico, roaches, flies, ante, bed-bups, beetles, insects, skunks, jack-rabbits, gophers.- 7Jd Druggists. Moses Moss & Co., Sydney, General Agoats

Good words— from , good authority.— * * * We confess that we are perfectly amazed at tho run of your .Hop Bitters; We never had any thing like it and never heard of the like. The writer (Benton) has been selling drugs hero nearly thirty years, and has seen the rise ot Hostetter's, -Vinegar and all other bitters and patent medicines,' but never did any of them', in their best days, begin to have the run that Hop Bitters have, * * We can't get enough of them,- We are out of them half the time' * * Extract from' letter to Hop Bitters Co;, August 22, '7B, from Benton, Myers & Co; Wholesale druggists, Cleveland, O. Be sure and see. ~ ' INSOMNIA, THETEOHMCALNAME FOR SLEEPLESSNESS, ono of tho most distressing conditions to' wlucb the human system canbo subjected, dialing along in its train, as natural sequences, a combination of equally painful symptoms, each of a destructive' character, can'only bo eradicated by such remedies as operato as a gcntlo'anodyao, ■ soothing the nerves calming tho mind, and quieting the combativo causes that produce it; of these UDOIPHO WOLFE'S SCHIEDAM AROMATIC SCHNAPPS stands proeminent.

After hoyeral years oxperioiic □ in supplying watohcS for. the colonial markot, Littlejohn and Son, of lamliton Quay, Wellington, have 6bserved< tlie iieed for a thoroughly Bound .English Lever Watch at a lower price than that usually paid for suoh watches, It is only bj thejudioiouß division of labor and by the manufacture oi large quantities on a uniform plan, that we are enabkd to meet this want W Have "now the pleasure of introducing our Six Guinea Hunting Silver Lever. This watch, being simple in design durable, highly fittißhpd, and aocurate,fulfils, all the requirements of a pocket timekeeper, -A written ■ guarantee for two years will bo giVen with' each ;w4'flh. Sent by post, semiroly packed, on reneipt of Post Office order or, cheque.—(Anvil ,