Perhaps our politics were too much localised, but he asserted we had not reached that stage as a nation when we could afford to overlook local considerations. It was also somewhat strange that in older countries the tendency was towards the system of single electorates, and not in the direction of the amalgamation of electoral dis tricts. He objected too to the mode of granting electoral rights, and to charging for them, and as the present system worked well he thought it should be left alone. Another question that would occupy the attention of Parliament was CHARITABLE AID. This, he must confess, was a subject he had not thoroughly mastered; but it seemed to him the present system was cumbrous in the extreme, and he hoped that reforms would be effected. Another question of vast importance was that of a LAND AND INCOME TAX, instead of the present property tax. He had ften preached the doctrine of a progressive

land and income tax, having always held that a man should contribute to the State in propor tion to'the protection he engaged from it. The property tax he held to be a tax-upon improve* ments, industry, and thrift, aDd that conse quently it was a bad tax-. A land tax upon tha unimproved value b£ land would suit the farmer much better than the present tax, for the pro» perty tax was a land tax and a tax upon im provements as well. Mr Fish alluded next to. THE FAIE BENT BlLL which was introduced last session, and statecl that it was probable the Government would in troduce it again. He considered it was a very fair bill, and that a men should not be com* pelled for an indefinite perfod to pay rent which the common sense, honesty, arid justice of both parties told them was unjust and unfair.—(Ap plause.) Another matter of considerable im-> portance to which he would like to refer was that of the HAIL SEBVTCE. The House last session passed a very deci sive vote against the continuation of the San Francisco mail .service, but he would ask whether it was ngt wise if they could, at not too grest an expense, have two strings to their bow, and keep open both the San i'rancisco and a Pacific service. 