NEW ELECTORATES

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 16, 10 April 1946, Page 7

NEW ELECTORATES

HUTT AND PETONE AREAS 'ALTERATION IN BOUNDARIES «> ' ' Under the Electoral Amendment Act, which' eliminated the country quota and provided for electorate being determined on the basis of the adult population instead of the whole population as before, a revision had been made by the Representation Commission. Two additional .electorates have been gained by Wellington and the Hutt Valley, making a total of nine. In the Hutt Valley there are to be the electorates of Hutt and Petone. The new 'names of the Wellington electorates are Onslow, Karori, Wellington City, Brooklyn, Mount Victoria, Island Bay.and Miramar. Written objections to the new boundaries will be received up to noon on May (i. The new electorate of Petone includes most of Petone itself, the Wainui-o-mata riding of the Hutt/ county, the borough of Eastbourne 1 , and southern portions of Hutt city. The Hutt electorate embraces the remainder of. the Hutt city and including areas adjacent to the Melting railway station. Criticism by Mr. Doidge At a meeting in the Taita Hall on Wednesday night Mr. F. W. Doidge, M.P., said: "The Government will attempt to save its skin by juggling with the electorates. The country quota has gone and there has been a re-alignment of electorates •on adult population. The ratio of children to adults in country families is greater than in the cities. As a result another injustice has been done; the country quota has been succeeded by a city quota. When the people see what has happened—that country electorates have been wiped oil!* the map—they will be indignant. "There is one other point. The census was a sham. It was taken when tens of thousands of service men and women were overseas and when tens o ('thousands of people had been manpowered into certain districts. The change in representation has come about without a mandate from the people, and thousands of people with a sense of fair play will register their indignation at the ballot box."