THE NEW BOUNDARIES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3296, 15 August 1911, Page 5

THE NEW BOUNDARIES.

AS FIXED BY THE COMMISSION.

RAGLAN AN EXTRA NORTH ISLAND SEAT.

TAIERI AND TUAPEKA MAKE ROOM. FOR “CENTRAL OTAGO.”

IPEB PRESB ASSOCIATION.} WELLINGTON, August 14. . The boundaries of tlie, electorates as revised by the Representation Commission are expected to appear in the “Gazette” to-day. The South Island Loses Taieri seat, and the North Island gains Raglan, which will be the name of the new electorate, mostly taken from the Waikato and from Taumarunui and Tauranga. It will include the towns of Raglan and Kawhia. Waikato has increased so much that without its additional percentage it showed a population of 18,000. Taumaranui has 19,215. The following proposed boundaries of electoral districts are Gazetted. Written objections will be received to noon, September 13, and will be heard next day objections for the North Island to be heard at Wellington : GISBORNE DISTRICT. Gisborne district comprises part of Waikaremoana Riding of Wairoa County, lying between the Wairoa river and a western boundary of the Mahia Riding; the whole of the Mahia Riding of Wairoa County and Hangaroa, Arai, Patutahi and Whataupoko Ridings of Cook County ; the whole, of the Gisborne Riding, less than portion already included in the Bay of Plenty electoral district. This district includes the Borough of Gisborne and Portland Island. BAY OF PLENTY. The Bay of Plenty district comprises the existing electoral district of Bay of Plenty less than a portion of Rotorua County now included in the Tauranga electoral district, hereinbefore described ard also less than a portion of Patutahi Riding of Cook County lying to the west of the Waipaoa river and north of the Waikakarild stream and Okahuatui No. 2 block, and includes Maketu Riding of Tauranga County. This district includes Opotoki town district.

“WELLINGTON SUBURBS” EXTENDED. A PECULIAR POINT. The “Wellington Suburbs” electoral district is called the Wellington Suburbs and County district under the new distribution. It has gone farther north, and includes Porirua and Pahautanui, which means that the hotels in those places will in future be included in the dry area, and be closed in due time. The suburbs will also include that portion of the old Hutt electorate lying to the west of the railway line.

WHERE WILL HE GO?

THE HON. T. MACKENZIE

(From Our Pariiamentarv Reporter.) WELLINGTON, August 14. It has been hinted that the Hon. T. MacKenzie, whose present seat of Taieri has been extinguished, may be a candidate for the new seat of Raglan. In that case it is further hinted that he will meet there an opponent worthy of his steel. Supporters of his party have asked him to stand against Mr Guthrie in Oroua, and against Mr Pearce in Patea. and Mr Dive’s constituency of Egmont has also been coupled with the Minister’s name. It is also stated that inducements were recently held out to him to offer his services as successor to Mr Dillon, who is retiring from the 'representation of Hawke’s Bay. Some members on the Government side think the High Commissioner’s office is a more likely destination for "The Mackenzie.” Meanwhile he declines to make any statement.

THE NEW ELECTORATE.

NORTH ISLAND GAINS ONE SEAT

ALTERATIONS IN THE SOUTH

A special “Gazette” containing the report of the Representation Commissioners, will be published this afternoon. One new seat has been created in the North Island, and at the next general elections forty-two members will be returned by the North Island, and thirty-four by the South Island. The new electorate which is to be called Raglan, is situated mostly in the old. Waikato constituency. It takes in portions of Taumaranm which lie to the south, and Tauranga. The west coast is the western boundary of the new electorate, which includes the towns of Raglan and Kawhia. On its northern boundary it abuts on the Franklin electorate, which has been moved so far to the North that Pukekohe. the recognised centre of the district represented by the Leader of the Opposition, is in Raglan. Extensive alterations have been made in the Otago electorates.. The essential effect is that the Taieri and Tuapeka districts have been extinguished, and a new electorate called Otago Central has been created. It comprises the old T'uapeka district and parts of Clutha and. Bruce. Taieri has been divided among the districts which formerly surrounded it. Objections to the Commissioners’ proposals will be received up to September 14th.

BAY OF PLENTY AND GISBORNE. LATTER REDUCED IN SIZE. WAIROA GOES TO HAWKE’S BAY. The new Bay of Plenty electorate extends from the outskirts of Te Puke, which is in the Tauranga electorate, along the Coast to within a few miles of. Gisborne. From Te Puke the boundary goes to' Rotorua Lake, but does not. take in the township. Atiamuri and Taupo are included, and. the boundary goes thence to Rangitaiki and the Ruakituri river, where it joins. the Gisborne boundary.. Ormond is in the Bay of Plenty which, is now the largest electorate in'the North Island. Its population is 21,686. Gisborne (population 14,023) includes the town of Gisborne, Patutahi, Mahia, Frasertown, Tiniroto, and Hangaroa,

and back country to Maun gatapere and Maungapowhatu. « • Napier (14,556) includes the Borough of Napier and the town district of Taradale. Meanee and Greenmeadows, and most of Clive are within this electorate. Hawke’s Bay (13,387) extends from the Wairoa River, to Ngaruroro River, and; includes Hastings and Havelock as well as Wairoa. Waipawa (12,967) extends' southward from the Hawke’s Bay boundary to include Dannevirke, Tahor aifi, Ormondville, Takapau, Waipukurau, Waipawa, Patangata ana back to the summit of the Ruapehus. Pahiatua (12,163) comprises the boroughs of Pahiatua and Woodville, and tlie townships of Hatuma, Mangatainoka, Makun, and C-oonoor. Its southern boundary follows the Makuri River to the sea. Masterton (12,904), includes Hamua, •Pongaroa, Rakaunui, Alfredton, Masterton, Masterton, Opaki and Mauri.eeville. It skirts Makuri and includes the coast from the Aohanga River to the Mataikona River.

The boundaries are subject to revision' on appeal to the Commissioners. »

MR. MACDONALD’S VIEWS.

“ALTERATIONS NOT IMPORTANT”

OPOTIKI HEADQUARTERS OF BAY

OF PLENTY.

Mr W. D. S. MacDonald, member for the Bay of Plenty, when seen by your reporter to-night, remarked that the boundary between liis electorate and that- of liis neighbor, the Acting Premier, was not materially altered, except that Gisborne bad taken in Lavenham and the Ngatapa settlement. At the other end the “Bay of Plenty” goes ten miles further up the coast to Maketu, and it still retains Mold, Taupo, and Rangitaiki, while the most important alteration is the loss of Rotorua township, which goes to Tauranga. Mamalku township is also lost to the same electorate. Rotorua had been tlie headquarters of tlie electorate, and Mr MacDonald presumes that, the honor will be transferred to Opotiki. He would have liked to retain the honor of representing the thermal capital, and he would have liked to see changes that would have reduced the distances which every candidate for the Bay of Plenty has to travel ; but the electorate remains as difficult to work as ever. So far as political prospects are concerned, he considers the alterations to liis electorate are without importance. The Gisborne electorate is very much reduced in , size, as it now extends only to the Wairoa River, not including the town of Wairoa. Mr MacDonald thinks that, judging from past elections, the change should prove satisfactory to Sir James Carroll.