ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES

Evening Star, Issue 25717, 14 February 1946, Page 4

ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES

TASK OF COMMISSION TWO.NEW FACTORS-ADULT POPULATION AND COUNTRY QUOTA (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 13. It is expected that the Electoral Representation Commission will hold its first meeting in Wellington next month. The task of the commission is to determine the electoral boundaries for the whole of the Dominion on the' basis of the position revealed by the census taken last year, and in accordance with the provisions of the electoral legislation. Previously there have been a North Island representation commission and a South Island representation commission. One of the important alterations made by the Electoral Amendment Act of last session was to provide for one commission only, this to comprise seven members, including the unofficial surviving members of the old North and South Island commissions, who are Messrs A. Rosser (Auqkland) and Harman Reeves' (Dunedin). Other members of the new commission are Messrs R. G. Dick (Surveyor-general, chairman), L. J. Poff (Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland), T. W, Preston (Commissioner of Crown Lands, Canterbury), and two otheT unofficial members— Messrs C. L. Grange (borough commissioner at Thames) and Alfred Blake (milk zoning officer at Auckland). Before those charged with the responsibility of fixing the boundaries of electorates can get to work, detailed returns of population are required from the Government Statistician.and these take some time to prepare. Apart from the fact that there is now a single commission, other alterations which have the effect of causing keen interest in the new boundaries are the elimination of the country quota, the fact that -the adult population is to be taken as ihe basis instead of the total population and the change in " tolerance " or allowance for adjustment which the commission may make by way of addition or subtraction in determining districts. This allowance is now up to 500 of the adult population. Notice of the proposed boundaries is to be given in the ' Gazette,' and provision is made for objections to be lodged with the commission before a final decision is made.