REDUCTION OF MEMBERS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 426, 8 March 1890, Page 2

REDUCTION OF MEMBERS.

The Post makes the following sensible, but hardly conclusive, remarks on the above subject:—That the public interests will suffer by the reduction of members in the next Parliament we are quite convinced. There will be no more logrolling and angling for votes, but not a whit less talking. We do not expect to see any of the advantages which have been set forth as arguments in favor of the reduction realised, but we believe that many disadvantages as yet unforeseen will quicklydevelop themselves. The colony will probably have to pay somewhat heavily in the end for its essay in false economy by reducing the number of representatives of the people. As soon as the new electoral districts are defined, people will begin to realise how great is the mistake which has been made. Many districts will necessarily find themselves virtually disfranchised and deprived of all political power. Many interests will n like manner find themselves unrepresented. The whole character of the representation of the country will be changed, and the power of capital will be enormously enhanced. The difficulty and cost of obtaining a seat in Parliament will be increased, so that almost the whole representation will fall into the hands of the wealthy. Poor men, however able or patriotic, will find themselves unable to enter the political field and incur the expense of contesting a large district. With huge districts, triennial elections, and a reduced honorarium. Conservatism has managed to fortify itself most strongly, and it has done so while pretending to concede Liberal measures to people. Never was there a falser pretence. None of these three things are advantageous to the cause of Liberalism. Their eftect must inevitably be to strengthen the landed Tory interest, and to reduce the power of the people. They have been devised by political wolves in sheep’s clothing, and the people have permitted themselves to be gulled most completely. The next Parliament will show it.