ELECTORAL READJUSTMENTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue 9468, 15 October 1907, Page 4

ELECTORAL READJUSTMENTS.

SOUTH ISLAND REPRESENTATIONS.

tPBESS ASSOCIATIONS , WELLINGTON, October 14. A deputation of Southern members waited upon the Premier to-day for the purpose of urging that the South Island should cot be deprived of threes members in favor of the North Island, as recommended by the Representation Commissioners. Several of i;he members present offeredthe opinion that an injustice was being done to the South Island by the extinction of the Wai' kouaiti, Courtenay, and Mount Ida electorates. They stated th.it at a time when the population of New Zealand had been very much smaller than it was at the present time the lumber of members of the House of Representatives had been 95. A reduction had been made with a view to economy during the colony's dark days, but the necessity for that reduction had passed. The deputation suggested, therefore, that the South Island should be allowed to keep its present quota of mem* bers. and that three new constituencies should be created in the North, making the total number of mebmers of the House 83, instead of 80 as at the present time. Reference was made to the confusion .and inconveniences caused by the constant change in the electoral boundaries. The Premier promised to consider the representations that had been made to him, but he indicated that the Government did not feel inclined to interfere with the work of the Representation Commissioners The tone of his reply did not encourage the deputation to hope that its proposals would be carried into effect.