ADJUSTMENT TO BOUNDARIES

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22182, 27 August 1937, Page 16

ADJUSTMENT TO BOUNDARIES

COMMISSION TO SIT NEXT

MONTH

STRONG OBJECTION TO CHANGE

IN FICCARTON

Although no official statement can yet be made, it is certain that the South Island Representation Commission will be asked to hear strong objections to the proposal to readjust the electoral boundary between Riccarton and Christchurch North in the Rossall street-Elmwood area. Other objections will be made, but it seems that in the city list this particular issue will be easily the most interesting facing the commission.

When the general commission announced its decisions in July, it was disclosed that the major alteration proposed for the city boundaries was this change in the Elmwood district. The old boundary has been altered by the proposals of the commission to such an extent that the area between Rossall street and the railway line, bounded by the Wairarapa stream, Rossall street, the railway, and down the Avon to Rossall street again, has been transferred out of the Riccarton electorate into Christchurch North. It is estimated officially that this change would transfer between 400 and 500 voters into Christchurch North, at the loss of Riccarton. The objection to tnis proposal will come from the Riccarton electorate. Politically the change is the most important of several city boundary alterations, for the population of this area has always been predominantly conservative in its vote, and is part of 4 bagger Fendalton area which has acted as some sort of a Conservative anchor for many elections. County Boundary Suggested

The objection to this change will be made on the basis that the boundary should follow the county boundary, which runs along Rossall street into Fulton avenue. It is claimed that this method would involve the population distribution which the Adjustment Commission was obviously aiming at when making the new proposal. The South Island Representation Commission, the authority constituted by statute to decide the periodical readjustments to southern electoral boundaries, will meet in Christchurch on September 1. Objections to the commission's tentative proposals must be in the hands of the commission by August 31. The commission wjll consider the objections, make its decisions to the general Dominion Commission (consisting of tfce South and North Island Commissions), and the final decisions will be made known from Wellington. The personnel of the South Island Commission is: The Commissioner of Crown Lands for Canterbury 'Mr N. C. Kensington), who is chairman; the Commissioners of Crown Lands for Otago and Westland; Mr Harman Reeves, of Dunedin, and Mr John Rigg, ot Christchurch.