WELLLNGTON SIX SEATS

Evening Star, Issue 14573, 23 May 1911, Page 3

WELLLNGTON SIX SEATS

» IN PARLIAMENT. WILL THERE 15E ANOTHER? [Special to the Star.] WELLINGTON, May 23. Though the cenisus total is about 200,000 ::> off the final tolly, it has become evident tliat the North Island will take at least two seats from the South as a result of tho flow of population northwards since the 1905 census. The Representation Commissioners _ will probably bo ready to commence their rearrangement of electoral boundaries in six weeks' time. When they sat in 1905 tho population of the respective islands was— North, 476,732; South, 411,644. Tho Commissioners, in allocating districts for tho seventy-six European members, are entitled to add 25 per cent, to the rural population, and when this was done the total, divided by 76, was 13,400. This year the quota is likely to be at least 2.000 higher for each constituency, so tliat Wellington's increase of 13,606 (mostly in Suburbs and llutt electorates) is likely to be swallowed up in the extra quotient on the six scats in and around tho city. The views of some of tho members representing these seats have Ik-en obtained. Mr T. M. Wilford wa6 satisfied that bis constituency (llutt) will net be mueli affected by the Representation Commissioners' operations. Ho thought there would bo alterations in the Suburbs seat, possibly the creation of another one, pushing tho Otaki electorate further north. The Suburbs member (Mr J. P. Luke) was also inclined to Mr Wilford's opinion that a new scat might be created just outside Wellington. " Possibly the whole of tho city seats will be moved further south, and a new seat created to include Ngaio, Khandallah, Johnsonville, and possibly Porirua," ho suggested. The population in Mr Luke's constituency has bounded up by 7,270 since the previous count.