LOSS OF NINE SEATS ?

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

LOSS OF NINE SEATS ?

RURAL VOTING POWER REDUCED ABOLITION OF COUNTRY QUOTA BIC GUNS BY FOUR MAIH CITIES The four cities, which now have 26 seats in Parliament, may gain from seven to nine seats as a result of the abolition of the country quota, which is provided for in a Bill introduced into the House of Representatives last night. This estimate is the result of calculations based on the number of voters on the rolls at the General Election in 1943. With little change likely in the representation of 11 of the larger towns, which are primarily urban electorates, the town and city population of New Zealand may have 46

of the European seats in the House and the predominantly rural com- < munities only 30 seats.

The country quota has been in existence in varying percentages for 64 years. After each population census the Dominion is divided into 76 European electorates according to population distribution. In the allocation of electorates an addition has in the past been made to rural populations so that the number of rural electorates, in proportion to their population, would he higher than urban electorates. For the last 56 years the country quota has been computed on the basis of 28 per cent, added to the rural population, which, for electoral purposes, ■ meant population other than that contained in a city or borough of-over 2.000 inhabitants, or in any area within five miles of the chief post offices of the four main centres. The country quota first appeared in 1881 to the equivalent of an addition of 33 1-3 per cent, to the country population. It was reduced in 1887 to 18 per cent., hut was increased in 1889 to the present 28 per cent. SERVICE VOTERS. A calculation of the effects of the abolition of the quota is difficult because at the last election a large numher of servicemen were overseas, although the names of many of them appeared on the civilian rolls. Consequently, in the first election year in which all or most of the servicemen are again civil voters the position may be found to be slightly different than that suggested by the latest official figures At the present time the four main centres and their immediate surroundings represent 26 of the European seats. There are 11 electorates which include small cities or large towns, such as Invercargill, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Hamilton, and New Plymouth, and they are predominantly urban. ■The rest of the seats in the House are for districts which are predominantly rural.. • In 1943 the civilian voters on the roll exceeded 1,000,000, and averaged'about 12,500 voters for each.electorate, but a wide variety occurred in the actual number of electors in each district. For instance, there were 14 electorates with fewer than 10,000 eligible voters, and two with more than 20,000 electors Remuera had a roll of 22,527, andEgmont one of 8,864 electors. The four cities, with over 400,000 voters, had 26 seats, and 36 predominantly rural electorates had only 375,0;,0 electors. If the country quota is abolished the situation will be changed very considerably. The four main centres will possibly be entitled to 35 seats, and with the 11 predominantly large town electorates little changod. the urban population will probably com • mand 46 seats in the House of [Representatives, leaving the rural population with only 30 seats. These figures do not take into consideration the four Maori seats, which will not be affected.