MAORI ELECTORATES

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3439, 1 November 1932, Page 5

MAORI ELECTORATES

INQUIRIES PROCEEDING. It is understood that the Government is making ' inquiries into the Maori electoral system and as a result changes may take place. The Electoral Act provides for four Maori representatives —three from the North Island and one from the South hut there is a wide difference between the voting strengths of the North Island and the South Island electorates. At the last General Election, for example, the total votes cast in the four electorates were: —Western Maori, 7793; Eastern, 7099; Northern, 5630; and Southern, 917. In the South Island by-election, in which there was unusual interest, 951 natives exercised their franchise rights. It is difficult to gauge the actual number of electors in the four constituencies, as no electoral rolls are prepared, and the only guide is the number of votes cast.

Already the newly-elected member for Southern Maori, Mr. E. T. Tirikatene, has given notice of a question asking for an amendment to the Act, especially in regard to the system of voting. In the South Island it is considered that the Chatham Islands, which for European purposes are part of the Lyttelton electorate, are linked up, as far as the Maoris are concerned, with the Western Maori district —apparently the largest North Island division.