The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1887.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2354, 11 August 1887, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

THURSDAY , AUGUST 11, 1887.

Kqunl and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state oi persuasion, religious or political.

Tiim indifference shown in the district to combined effort in pressing on candidates for Parliament, definite forms of retrenchment, the jaunty manner in which reduction in expenditure is treated by the Premier and the special pleading with which he endeavours to throw dust in the eyes of the jury, before which his Government is on trial, render it incumbent on all, who take more than a parrot interest in the matter to expose the misrepresentations of Sir R. Stout.

Almost the only instance in which the Ministry stood to any important point in any of their measures, was the number of the House and even in that instance they never nailed their colours to the mast, until by skilful procrastination they had brought the Representation Amendment Act to such a puss that its advocates were glad to .secure its enactment on almost any terms.

Sir Robert Stout adheres to the magical number of 91 exclusive of Maori members. A less number would, he says, so enlarge constituen cies that poor candidates would have no chance. This flimsy argument Sir George Grey tore to tatters in his reply to the Premier on Wednesday last, and the bulk of poor men will, we think, give that veteran politician credit for larger and more intelligent sympathy with thorn, then they will be inclined to vouchsafe the radical henchman of Sir Julius Vogel. Lookingat the question in the light of retrenchment, the direct gain of a reduction to say CO members is not to be despised, amounting as it would in honoraria alone to a saving of T6llOO. But this is only a very small item as compared with the indirect gain. Smalljconstituencieslcad naturally to lavish expenditure. Why should Eobinson vote against a Minister who can make things easy for him with his constituents, by giving them a bridge, a waterrace, or a railway siding 1 And why should the Minister with a full belief in his value to the country, and the value of his salary to himself, hesitate to gratify Robinson ? With larger constituencies, even a Vogel could not for shame’s sake, afford such buying of votes. Then, fancy cutting off at one fell blow one third of l*ho gas pipes in the House. If Hansard be a necessity its dimensions might in that case be largely reduced, and its cost in somewhat similar proportions. Business would be despatched more promptly, and with probably greater intelligence, when thirty fog generators were reduced to their natural sphere, on local debating societies. {Sessions would bo shortened, and members might then be ashamed to pay themselves at the present liberal rate.

Last but not least wo should then have elections decided on definite political issues, and cranks with water, the O.i). Act or the Mount Eden range, on the brain, would no longer have a chance of obscuring the real question before the electors.