REPRESENTATION IN PARLIAMENT

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28234, 23 March 1957, Page 4

REPRESENTATION IN PARLIAMENT

South Island Case Discussed

The South Island might “burn its fingers’’ if further protests were made against decreased Parliamentary representation, Mr E. C. Bathurst (Ashburton) warned members of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association’s executive yesterday. Mr Bathurst said that if the Government acceded to requests to stabilise South Island representation equal to North Island representation or introduce some special form of quota voting, the situation might boomerang. The association was working towards 'an increased population, and when that eventuated, the North Island could well be justified in complaining when the South Island sought increased representation, he said. “This is not a matter of South Island versus North Island, but a matter for the whole of New Zealand; I think we should leave it severely alone,’’ he said. Mr Bathurst was speaking in a brief discussion on letters from the Otago Harbour Board and the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) on the subject. The board asked for the association’s support in a protest to the Court against the abolition of the Oamaru electorate, but before the meeting was a reply from the Prime Minister to a protest made after the association’s recent annual conference. The principle behind the abolition of the Oamaru seat was “one man, one vote’’ within a five per cent, tolerance of electoral populations. Mr Holland’s Letter “If this principle of ‘one man, one vote’ is to be preserved and, at the same time the number of electorates in the South Island is to be maintained, it would be necessary to increase the number of electorates in the North Island if the present population trends continue,” Mr Holland said. “It may well be that such a course will have to be considered though, for my part, I would prefer to see the problem solved by a greater increase in the population of the South Island.” “We all agree with the Prime Minister’s sentiments, but at the same time the South Island suffers from a serious disability in Parliamentary representation,” said. Mr L. J. Wraight (St. Kilda), who added that he had been largely responsible for the board’s letter. Mr Bathurst moved that the association not support the board. His motion found no seconder and lapsed. It was decided to send a copy of the Prime Minister’s letter to the board without comment.