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POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TEI.KOBAPir.— OWN UOUHKSI'OXDKXT.) WBM.IXfiTON', I , 'lMay. THE REPRESENTATION BILL. Several meetings of delegates have been held since yesterday, and a common ba.'is of agieement has at length been decided upon, but it has yet to be confirmed by the two opposing parties. The compromise arrived at i< that the country districts shall receive an addition of 28 per cent, instead of 18 in the present Bill, and •boroughs civ.-.r 2000 to be excluded and tho margin left undisturbed. It is considered likely that this settlement of a. very vexed question will be accepted by tho town and country parties. The delegates appointed by the latter were Messrs Seymour, Lance, Macarthur, Steward ami Oapt. Russell, who is acting as whip for the country party. The House further adjourned till' 8 o'clock t'-i-night; in order that both sides could hold a full meeting to discuss the compromise. A LOST OPPORTUNITY. The town members consider they have made a grave mistake in allowing Sir G. Grey's amendment to In; withdrawn this afternoon. Their notion is that if the

amendment had been agreed to, and added to tho Bill, the -Government could not possibly lmvß gone on with the measure, and would have been compelled to drop it, the reduction of member* being such a cardinal point of their policy that they would not readily pass a Bill into law that interfered with the reduction. The Government are of opinion that they could easily have defeated Sir George Grey's amendment if it had gone to the vole, but other members consider that i\w. division would be a very close thing. It is estimated that almost twenty members would have supported the amendment on piinciple k\sides the-thirty town members who might have voted for it in a block vote, merely t'i kill the Bill. Msny of the latter, of course, arc distinctly pledged to maintain tho reduction of members at any cost but, as I have, just st ited, they have a .strong dtisire to follow Sir George Grey into the lobby, if the division had been taken, with tho idr.a of getting rid of the Representation Bill altogether. SIR (i. GREY'S AMEXI)II7<:N t T. The proceedings connected with tho withdrawal of Sir G. Grey's amendment this afternoon were eminently chiuncteii'tic of tho tactics ths member for Auckland Central apparently delights in. Sir George evidently thought he wss going to bo beaten on his own

amendment which proposed to suspend the Act reducing? the number of members till after a dissolution of Parliament, and it was strongly opposed by the Government. During the discussion on the question, Mr Sisddon, apparently by pre-arrangement with Sir George and looking towards the | members for Auckland Central, expressed the regret lie felt for the hon. gentleiniin being led into «i false position and slid lie hoped, the amendment would be withdrawn. To this S : r George distinctly nodded his assent. Mr Seddon tlißn said Sir George was willing that his amendment should be withdrawn, but Col. Eraser objected, and as the consent of the House must be unanimous, the matter roster! there some time. Further discussion ensued, after which Sir.George himself rose and asked leave to withdraw his amendment. Mr Thompson and Air Graham then objected, but their opposition lie finally overcame, and when the Chairman put the motion for withdrawal again, the only member that objected was Mr Verrall, who snt next to Sir George Grey. The member for Ashley Wiis at once remonstrated with, and asked to withdraw his opposition, when he innocently replied r'l it Sic George Grey requested him t«i say " no" to the motion for withdrawal. The Chairman, however, agreed to put the question for the fourth time, and there being no dissenting voice, the amendment was

withdrawn. Sir George then asked that the portion of his amendment, relative to the abolition of plural voting shor.ld be considered by the House. Tho Premier siid he hoped the question of plural voting would not be raised at that stage, and he promised t> give another opportunity for disens-ingit. Sirllarry Atkinson fnrthersaid that as the Mouse had just ext'.icated the member for Auckland Central from a false position, he hoped the matter would not be pursued further at present. Sir George Grey at once, with .much energy, disclaimed having been in a false position, to which tho Premier quietly replied that, he merely used Mr Seddon's words, and t'iat hon. gentleman evidently spoke for Sir George. Mr Seddon, who had just entered the House at this moment, corroborated the Premier's statement by interjecting " hear, hear," rather to Sir George Grey's discomfiture. The whole bye-play of tho little incident afforded great amusement to the members who witnessed it. L.vruii. BASIS OF AGREEMENT. As a result of the deliberations of the conference of tho town and counrty parties tonight it was resolved, after careful consideration, to recommend to their parties the following as a basis of compromise. 1. The act of 1577 to be taken as a basis. This determines the special districts to be as at present. The allowance to bo made to special districts to be by addition, not deduction, as in the/present Bill. l>. The amount of allowance, to be 28 [;er cent. -J. The margin of 750 each way at tho discrei i m of the Commissioners is not to be ussd t> the detriment of the towns in favour of the country. The conference of thi , . two parties was called together at S p.m. and they agreed to the foregoing resolution. YVhut remains to bo done now is to draft a clause to carry out the last resolution with respect to the margin in order to secure that the quota for tho country districts shall nut bo raised by the Coinmissiuners to the injury nf the towns. The res-ilntions have been submitted to the Government, and the Hou-t , decided to adjourn to-night till Moiidav iu ur.lor that the clause relating to i.lio margin should ba carefully considered before it was brought down to tin; House.

l'U\it,lC OPIXIOX IX AUCKT,AXD. Thorn was gio it fun in this Hous.i List nitfht civur the iuailiii'i uf a telegram by Mr M"iik, to show the ino.'iii? liy which public f«ii!in" in Auckland whs moused over the 11-iju-us-ntiitiiiii Bill. Hosniil tin-, tnlegiain in i]iu-..<ii'>n wiis sjiit Li-t weak u> a proniinriit Viickliiiidcitizen, by Jle-isr.s T. Tlkuiiu-.-o •, F. J. .Muss, and D. (.J.il.li-, M.K.H.V, It was as follows :—" Membi-rs of Varliaisißiit for the cities are uniiiii ihiih in op\)<»\ng the Representation Hill. This incisure is the result of intrij?ne and Rives m-i'i-whelinin" power to the country Cdiisjrvativi) inoi'ibers ; it means death to Prnt'ctOn as well as democratic prestri'ss. The oppnsitimi here will be continued till tiniii is given for an expression of public opinion. Meetings are to be hold in Christchurch and Dunfidinand Wellington. Will Auckland not speak? Communicate with the Trade and Labmu , Council, Protection League and other societies. (Jet the Mayors of the city and suburbs to call meeting?. Most .important. Act quickly."

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT18890803.2.18

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2662, 3 August 1889, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,169

POLITICAL NOTES. Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2662, 3 August 1889, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES. Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2662, 3 August 1889, Page 2

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