The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1889. Electoral Reform.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3155, 16 March 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1889. Electoral Reform.

We learn from the New Zealand Times with great satisfaction that the Government intend to make a stand on the Representation Amendment Act of 1887, under which nearly a third of the present numerical strength of the House will disappear after the nest general election, leaving seventy members to do the work or talk hitherto performed by ninety-one •legislators.' Of coarse this is a matter which has already been decided by law, but. with a weak or wavering Ministry •there would be• every prospect of the virtuous Act of 1887 being rescinded. If the Ministry stand by the measure, it is practically safe. There will ■ bp twenty-one talkers the less in the House and twenty-one honorariums saved. ■■.'. But this is not the great gain, With our presentsmallßingle-seated electorates it is very easy for inferior men to find a seat, and impeounious and out of elbows M.H.R.s have become almost, proverbial. ' With larger 'electorates there must necessarily be a better all round type of member. The democratio: road wjiicii New ' Zealand has pursued for many years past, has been strewn with plunder and littered with all sorts of corruption and extravagance. On this road we have travelled quite far enough, and prudential consideration, >' indeed the absolute safety of the colony, demands itojit pnbjjp expenditure shall on all amh', kept wj.tjiin reasonable bounds, and thai the strictest economy shall be pbseoyed in overy department of the publio service, and more especially in tbe wasteful and profligate legislative yoteß, We still have some faith in Sk Harry Atkinson if-he is going to put his foot down m $nV particular evil. If needs jbe wis c ( oni4 do with one member jpr the Wflfeapa, indeed for many.months we have got along without any representive at all, and have, almost hicome reoonoiled toour M.H.ft's, ijojiig Mjwherlbut in Kew Zealand.- It' has been.'per.' haps, _un.fcrt.una.to that . our repvesentatives have been .awj&y simultaneously, because , now - and-'. again questions to dropped up; m picb a reference to one or other of them was necessary ( to: prevent {hj jn{ej>. 68ts6f the- district: being-saorifieed, iA;thaf future t tbat> tbfi^

will auangefor, at least, one to be available for cases of emergency Still it is improbable that theWairarapa will be reduced to one member as our rapidly increasing population will probably give us the additional numbers of electors required for two

repiesentatives under the Amendment Aot of 1887. There la one

intimation given out by the Tunes 1 which is less satisfactory, and that is a soheme contemplated by the Ministry for introducing a Hare proportional system into the House after some tentative fashion If the Ministry are convinced that the Haie pioportional system is essential for the well being of the Colony they should embody then ideas m a Go veinment measure and stand by it. As we understand it they want to discuss the system as an open ques tion and make the Houso take the

responsibility upon which they are afraid to Venture. The result ot a project launched m this optional form cannot be satis f actory. The House cannot be expected to lead the Ministry on such a question.