Maori seats in Parliament

Press, 9 March 1984, Page 16

Maori seats in Parliament

Sir,—The Labour Party should study closely the New Zealand Party’s intention to abolish the Maori seats in Parliament. The previous two elections revealed separate representation distorted the electoral process to National’s advantage. National obtained the majority of seats while

polling fewer votes than Labour. Because of the Maori seats, Labour scored massive majorities in those strongholds. This was at the expense of its position in crucial marginal seats. Imagine all the farmers in New Zealand being placed on a separate roll with a few seats of their own. That would produce a sizeable anti-National bias in the over-all electoral system. National would win these few seats with massive majorities instead of having the farmers’ vote distributed to telling effect throughout the 30 odd electorates as at present. Labour would benefit from the abolition of the Maori seats, and the Maori population would be transformed as a political force. They would be placed in the mainstream of politics with an influence rivalling that of the farming and working class vote.— Yours, etc.,

R. LANDOR. March 6, 1984.