PUBLIC MEETING AT HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 530, 12 October 1875, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT HAMILTON.

A Public Meeting was held at the School home, Hamilton West, on Saturday evening, for the purpose of discussing the Representation Bill now bofore Parliament. On the motion of Mr W. B. Langbridge. seconded by Mr F. A Wliitaker, Mr Kennedy Hill was Toted to the chair. The Chairman opened the proceedings by explaining the objects of the meeting, and pointing out the necessity for immediate action in order to avert the injustice to Waikato threatened in the Representation. Bill now before Parliament. He referred to the striking anomalies in the present oondition of the representation of the Constituencies, and urged prompt and rigorous action. Mr C O Montrose moved the first resolution, as follows: — " That in the opinion of the present meeting, the Representation Bill at present before the House is unfair and prejudicial to the electorate of Waikato, and that a memorial be adopted requesting the Government to take measures to remedy this grievance." 2he mover contrasted the anomalies in the prosent system of Representation, pointing out that a number of small constituencies existed with a population less than one-fifth that of Waikato, and one -seventh the number of electors. He contrasted the area, and importance of Waikato with some cf these, and shewed that some of them were not so large as many of the townships in the Waikato. He spoke strongly of the preponderance which the Middle Island has secured in Parliament, and of the determination of South Island members to combine to increase that preponderance by using the power of the majority they now wielded in the House to the injury of the North Island, whenever questions arose upon which the interests of the two Islands were antagonistic. He quoted figures from the Census Returns of 1874 to prove the inadequacy of the present Representation of Waikato in Parliament, and concluded by urging the meeting to adopt a memorial to the House praying that justice may be done to this distriot by granting an additional member. Mr McPherson seconded the resolution pro forma, and it was carried. Mr F A Whitaker moved ".that a Committee be appointed to prepare a memorial to the Government requesting them to give the Waikato District a second Representative in the Parlia« meat of New Zealand, and that the Committee oonsist of the following gentlemen : — Messrs Samuel Steele, W Jones, W B Langbridge, X BilJ, C O Montrose, Patrick Leslie, J L Longbottom, L T Seddon, W Cummings, J Martin, and the mover." Carried unanimously. Messrs Whitaker and Montrose were then appointed to draft a memorial to the House of Representatives, and at a meeting of the Committee, held at Girynne's Hamilton Hotel, at 1 1 o'clock yesterday the following memorial was adopted :—: — To the Honourable the Members of the House of Representatives in Parliament assembled, the humble Petition of the undersigned electors of the Electoral District of Waikato Humbly Sheweth : Ist —That your Petitioners are informed that a Bill to provid* for the re-adjustment of Representation in the Colony is now under the consideration of your Honourable House. 2nd.— That your petitioners have learned with surprise and disappointment that no provision has been made in the said Bill for increased Representation for the said Electoral District of Waikato. 3rd. — That the said Electoral District, aocording to the Census of 1874 contained a population of 4,558 souls with 772 Electors ; eince the compilation of which Returns, there has been a considerable inciease in both respects. 4th. — That your petitioners learn that it is intended by your Honourable House to grant an additional member to each of the Electoral Districts of Napier, Grey Valley, Hokitika, Timaru,' and Waitaki, and they desire to respectfuHy point out that the Electoral District of Waikato possesses a larger number of persons.entitled to- exercise the franchise than any of the ibaYe mentioned district! (

sth. —That your petitioners find from tht Census Beturns of 1874, that no less than thirteen Districts, viz :— if anawatu, Olive, Suburbs of Nelson, Waimea,Collingwood, Totara, Cheviot, Lyttelton, Avon, Akaroa, Gladstone, Mount Ida, and Wallace, each returning a member to your Honourable Houie, possess lew than on« half the number of Electors of the Waikato District. 6th.— Your Petitioners respectfully submit that having regard to population, number of holdings, extentof land under cultivation, the large and con&nual influx of settlers, and the general progress of the district of Waikato, they are fully entitled to the favourable consideration of your Honourable House ia th© matter of this Petitiom 7 th.— Your Petitioners therefore pray that your Honourable House will be pleased to so amend the Representation Bill now under your consideration as to enable the District of Waikato to elect two members to represent it in the ensuing Parliament. And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c.