The Evening Star FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1945. THE COUNTRY QUOTA.

Evening Star, Issue 25618, 19 October 1945, Page 4

The Evening Star FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1945. THE COUNTRY QUOTA.

The fate of the country quota hangs in the balance. It might almost be said it has been decided, since the Government ha 6 introduced the abolition Bill into the House, and the intro- | duction of any Bill is the next thing to its passage, with the voice Of the Opposition heard .but ignored. The country quota was established as far back as 1881, and was introduced as a measure to offset certain disadvantages possessed by country electors. At the r time, and for long afterwards, roads were bad and means of travel difficult, which often resulted in a large proportion of country electors being prevented from reaching polling booths. In order that representation of votes in every one hundred of the population in urban and rural areas should possess some measure of equality, 33 1-3 per cent, was added to the country population. This was reduced in 1887 to 18 per cent., but was increased in 1889 to. 28 per cent., at which it has remained. It can be argued that the main reason for the country quota no longer exists; roads are better, and, in normal times when motor restrictions do not apply—and they can now be considered nearly ended—travelling is easier, thus giving almost all voters an opportunity of registering their decision at the polls. The Labour Government accepted the position until suddenly it realised that its long term of office, was endangered, and with that it has found amendments to the Electoral Act essential. The country quota was never an issue in election campaigns, and the Opposition is, therefore, correct in stating that the Government is attempting to revise, the Constitution of New Zealand without a mandate. At various times members of the Labour Party have hinted that the quota might be abolished, but officially, while these hints were not actually denied, they certainly were not encouraged. In other 'words the Government’s intentions were deliberately cloaked, and the voice of public opinion stilled because, on the surface, there was nothing against which to protest. The Government can argue as it likes against the country quota, and offer whatever reasons it chooses for its step, but the fact remains that-the principle of the quota was never officially disputed until it became clear that its own fate was uncertain._ Less assured of the outcome of voting in the rural areas than in urban districts, ' the Government is now determined to remove a “ menace,” and that it may gain materially is evident from the estimate that, if the quota is abolished, ' seven rural seats may disappear, and their place be taken by urban seats. I Most of these would probably go to I the North Island, where the growth of the larger centres is more marked I than in the South Island. Where country seats are abolished the ter- : ritory will be broken up and. incorporated into other electorates, with the hoped-for result that Labour representation in each electorate will be maintained or increased, although it would be possible for Labour to suffer from the extension of existing boundaries into adjacent, more pronouncedly i National, districts. There would be. - still larger country districts, and some are already too large. In such cases there must inevitably follow a mini-

mum of that community interest which is a democratic esseutial in voting entities. All this counts for nothing against the Government’s desire—and need—for removal of what it conceives to be a party disadvantage. The very introduction of such an important Bill, which challenges and betrays the legislative rights of the primary producers, and which is made without any _ reference whatever to the people, is a measure of the respect the present Government accords democratic principles.