Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1926. ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 173, 23 June 1926, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1926. ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION.

Time was when tlie South Island held the balance of power so far as the electorates were concerned. The drift of population northwards, and the relative greater increase in settlement in the North Island have changed all that and, in accordance with our system of representation, seats that have been lost to the South Island have been replaced by others in the North Island, until to-day we have (including the Southern Maori) only 32 electorates in the South Island against 48 in the North, the Maori seats being included in these figures. On the face of things that looks like a very unfair distribution of political power. But our representation system is clearly defined on the population basis, plus the 28 per cent.'known as “the country quota,” which is added to the population of purely rural districts as a safeguard against the steadily increasing town vote, which might otherwise be used undesirably against the interests of the rural population. This year’s census appears likely, when the Electoral Boundaries Commissioners get to work, to result in the South Island losing yet another seat, which will leave it with only 30 European electorates against 46 in the North Island, or (including the Maori seats) 31 in the South against 49 in the North. Naturally the South Island people are getting very uneasy over this continued loss of electoral power.

In 1902'there were 38 European electorates in each Island, and equality between the North and the South was established for the first time, although, with the three North Island Maori seats, the balance in voting strength was necessarily against the South. By absorption, the Grey, Selwyn, Courtney, Geraldine, Waikouaiti, Mount Ida, Tuapeka, Caversham, Taieri, Otago Central and Bruce electorates, in the South Island, have disappeared as separate entities, and eight seats have been transferred to the North Island, the new electorates constituted there being Roskill, Raglan, Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga, Waitomo, Waimarino, and Wellington Suburbs. If, as the population statistics suggest, the South Island loses another seat, and the population of the North Island continues to increase in the ratio it has been doing during the last twenty years, it seems inevitable 'that further losses will occur, and that the already unwieldy rural electorates of the South Island will become actually unworkable by candidates who desire to seek the suffrages of the electors. Some of these electorates are already so- large that a candidate cannot properly get round on his election campaign

inside of six weeks. But, apart from that, the South Island people cannot view with unconcern the gradual loss of political power, and ,the suggestion has been made that no further reduction should be made in the number of South Island , seats, and that additional seats should be provided for the Norjih Island on the average of ' the electoral quotas, as fixed by the commissioners charged with the duty of readjusting the electoral boundaries.

A further suggestion is that the redistribution of seats should only take place every ten years. A considerable saving could be. effected in the public expenditure if that suggestion were adopted and the census was only taken every ten years instead of five as at present._ If adopted, it would do away with much of the confusion which now exists in the minds of many people on the subject of the electoral boundaries, and the Electoral Boundaries Commissioners might be able to make the electorates more homogeneous in character. The electorates should be, as far as possible, so arranged that community of interests would be assured amongst the electors; but, in some instances, this is so far from being the case that districts and communities, widely separated from each other, and having no interests in common, are bunched together in electorates where it is impossible to get a common meeting centre. A glance at the electoral map of the North Island would suffice to illustrate this contention nicely, cases in point being the Thames and Wellington Suburbs electorates which, when constituted, were fearfully and wonderfully made. There may be objections to further increasing the number of members of the House of Representatives. Objections have, indeed, already been voiced in the contention that it is undesirable to further increase the membership of the House. But it would be better to constitute four further electorates, so increasing the number of European constituencies to 80, giving the North Island 48 instead of 45 as at present, and the South Island 32, rather than allow the sense of injury to rankle in the minds of the South Island people, who, rightly or wrongly, may hold that their interests are sacrificed through their inadequate representation to the interests of the North Island.

The Canadian Department of the Interior has promised to donate a buffalo to the Wellington Zoo. A £4OO motor car which was first prize in a surprise packet drive at Auckland for the Y.W.C.A. hostel fund was won by a motor bus driver. The pungent smell of burning cloth caused some speculation during the hearing of a case in the Supreme Court at Auckland. The mystery was explained when a barrister engrossed in addressing the Judge discovered that his gown was draped over an electric radiator and was smouldering rapidly.

“Unless the circumstances are against it I will always make an order for the endorsement of _ the driving license where a motorist is convicted’' said Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, at Hamilton. The magistrate remarked that local bodies would then know the class of driver to whom they were issuing a license when applications for renewals were being received. An allegation that a number of unemployed men, who had been found work with one of the suburban local bodies, took a holiday on Saturday to go to the trotting races, was mentioned at a meeting of the Auckland Unemployed Relief Committee. The Labour Department’s representative (Mr Slaughter) said that whether there were races on or not, unemployed men flocked into his office on Saturday morning. Mr Oakley Browne said that it was a statement that would do a lot of harm to genuinely unemployed men.

Among the arrivals at Wellington from Sydney by the Tahiti this week was the Marquess of Douglas and Clydtsdale, eldest 6on of the Duke of Hamilton, who has brought himself into unusual prominence by his prowess in the boxing ring at Home. Ho is accompanied by Mr Edward Eagan, an American Rhodes Scholar, who is also skilled in the pugilistic art, for he won the heavy-weight championship at the Olympic Games last year; and also by Messrs R. and T. Pirie. The party will stay about a week in New Zealand.

A charge of assaulting a little girl was preferred against a Chinese youth aged 19 years in the Children’s Court at Auckland. The, evidence showed that the girl went into a Chinese fruiterer shop in Queen street to purchase a cabbage. The youth was accused with having put his arm about the girl’s waist and dragging her to the back of the shop. For the defence it was stated by Mr Tong that the girl stood on the youth’s sore foot, and he merely pushed her aside. Mr E. C. Cutten said tho Court was satisfied that the girl was highly strung, and that the occurrence might have been an accident. The charge was dismissed.

It is well known in Scottish towns that fish head soup is considered a luxury by the thrifty residents, who go to' much trouble in preparing a dish which would tickle the palate of the most exacting epicure. Speaking with a decidedly northern twang, a recipient for relief at the hospital board offices, said that ho did not want such a big bread allowance as that usually given, because (relates the Auckland Star) he had been living on fish head soup. He could get as many fish heads as he liked for nothing. In proof of what he said, he drew from his pocket a number of unused bread tickets which had been allowed to lapse because he lind been living on a more economical diet.. It was a splendid lesson in practical economy in these dull days of unemployment. Men’s Suits, “the Roseo special,” a smart worsted in three shades of fashionable grey; tailored to our own specifications and nothing to touch it for value at 84s. It’s usual price is £5 19s 6d and 6gns. Buy now while it’s our great stocktaking clearance sale. —The C. M. Ross Co., Ltd.—Advt.

The Wellington Chests Club last week celebrated tho 60th aninversary of its founding. An enjoyablo reunion was held.

Twenty public school boya are included in the Athenic’s 380 assisted emigrants to New Zealand, states a London cable message. The Rotorua, Rimutaki, Corinthic and Rcmuera will take 1200 assisted emigrants during July. Mr Normaii Nairn, a New Zealander running mails between Beirut and Bagdad, has successfully designed a desert motor bus, 50 feet long, with a weight unloaded of seven tons and a speed of 23 miles an hour.

The flag was flown at the Chief Post Office to-day in honour of the 32nd birthday of the Prince of Wales. Yesterday the flag was flying on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary of King George’s Coronation. To-day was observed as a holiday by several Government offices in Palmerston North.

At the Auckland Magistrate’s Court yesterday Richard Matthew Walker was committed for trial, on bail, on a charge of manslaughter. It is alleged that, on May 22, he left an insufficiently lighted motor lorry on the road at Avondale, thereby causing the death of Charles Owen Elder, who was riding on the rear of a motor cycle which collided with th© lorry

“I do not know the extent of the Magistrate’s knowledge of small boys, but he seems to have founded his decision on the presumption that a small boy crossing a road would run at rightangles,” said Mr H. P. Richmond in the course of an appeal beard in the Supreme Court at Auckland. “Those of us who have observed our own offspring playing are aware that they are liable to gambol across a traffic thoroughfare in any direction,” he ad’ded.

Alfred Herbert Rudd, accountant, appeared in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge that, on divers dates, between October 5 and November 6, 1925, he stole sums of money totalling £323, the property of creditors in the assigned estate of W. Grossman and Co. Bernard William Irwin, associated in business with accused, was recently committed for trial on a similar charge, lludd pleaded not guilty, and was committed to tho Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed in £3OO, and a surety of £3OO.

The reference to Palmerston North in the first issue of the Local Authorities’ Handbook sets out tho unimproved rateable value of the borough as £2,306,510, and the area as 4851 acres. Inter alia, it is mentioned that there are 69 miles of formed roadways and streets and 107 miles of footpaths. Loans totalling £BO,OOO have, been raised for the purpose of macadamising roads and streets; the gravitation system of water supply cost £75,000, and the sewerage system £91,465. The existing water supply, it is stated, is sufficient to meet the needs of a population of 30,000. The various municipal enterprises are comprehensively reviewed.

Notice has been served on the New Brighton (Christchurch) Borough Council by a solicitor, acting for Mr It. B. Owen, of his client’s intention to apply for an injunction to restrain that body from' proceeding with the building of a bridge over the Avon river without making due provision for the public using, or likely to use, the river for navigation purposes. Mr Owen has been an enthusiastic worker for years on behalf of the beautification of Christchurch, particularly tho environs of the river.

The proportions which local body borrowing have assumed are indicated in tho inaugural issue of the Local Authorities’ Handbook, which states that the total net indebtedness of local authorities has more than doubled within the last decade. Whereas in 1915 the total net indebtedness of all local authorities was £21,891,283, and assets £26,189,182, the 1925 figures are £47,259,153 and £57,176,449 respectively. Whereas, however, tho assets of all local authorities have increased a(/ a 3 per cent greater rate than loans, the position in respect to boroughs as separate units is the reverse, loans having increased over assets at a rate of 15i per cent. A Gazette issued last night announces that the motor omnibus regulations aro amended by revoking regulation 10 and substituting ono to the effect that the bus faro between places served by trams shall not be less than twopence above tho tram fare. A bus may adopt a concession or other special ticket system, but the fare shall always be twopence more than the tram faro. Where the bus serves places not served by a tram, the faro shall he not less‘than the tram faro for the corresponding journey. If tho bus proprietor considers tho faro for any particular journey should not bo more than that fixed for trams, he may refer the matter to tho Transport Appeal Board.

A wealth of interesting information concerning local bodies in tho Manawatu is contained in the first issue. of the Local Authorities’ Handbook. The capitable rateable value of Shannon Borough is shown to be £194,235 and the area 844 acres, while tho figures for Levin are £610,G71 and 1332 acres respectively. The unimproved rateable value of Feilding Borough is £384,599, and the area 2053 acres. The total liabilities of the Makerua Drainage Board are £108,802, the next highest liability of any drainage district being that of Hungahiinga (£30,843). Liabilities of river districts in the Dominion aro headed' by those of Hutt with £60,300, which is closely followed by the Taieri Trust with £53,485.

A very pleasing example of sterling youthful honesty was manifested recently at Hamilton/ A stallholder at the Waikato Winter Show was hurrying to catch a train and accidentally dropped a £lO note. The loss of the note was witnessed by a lad, who picked up the money and restored it to the owner. On being rewarded for his honesty, tho lad said he hardly liked to take any money, but ho was out of employment and would be glad of any assistance to procure a permanent job. Subsequently the stallholder wrote to the boy at Hamilton and received a reply stating ho was still out of work. The owner of tho £lO note was so impressed with tho boy’s straightforwardness and honesty that ho is making strenuous endeavours to place him in a permanent job. Next Tuesday the Citizens’ Luncheon Club will entertain the four English officers with the Indian Army team, the secretary of the New Zealand Hockey Association, Mr W. H. Downs, of Christchurch, aud the secretary of the local hockey association, Mr A. R. Cliffe. Rev. M. A. Rugby Rratt will be the speaker in place of Mr T. R. Lees, who was to have delivered an address on tho Flock House scheme.

There’s always a demand for black Italian cloth, particularly for aprons and underwear. A special 54in lustrous finish in aniline dye can bo had from us at 2s 6d yard. The value is splendid. Ask to see it at our dress section. —Collinson and Cunninghams, Ltd. —Advt.

The little schooner Resolution, built by the people of Norfolk Island, to enable them to place their fruit on the Auckland market, arrived at Auckland on Monday night after a voyage of 13 days. Most of that time the crew of nine were on reduced rations. The Prime Minister stated in the House of Representatives yesterday •afternoon, in reply to a question from Mr T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South), that petitions that had not been finally dealt with during the last session of Parliament would be brought forward again during the present session m the stage they had reached when the House was prorogued on October 1 last.

The reunion of Flock House trainees which is being held at the Parewanui hostel embraces a comprehensive educative and sports programme. Yesterday a number of the South Island “old boys” arrived at Palmerston North and were motored to the hostel, where the day was largely devoted to drill under the supervision of local Defence Department officers. In the evening Mr W. J. McCulloch, instructor in Agriculture, delivered a lecture on the matters of which he is such an able exponent.

Of great value to all those interested in local body affairs will be the Local Authorities’ Handbook, a copy, of the first issue of which has been forwarded to us by the Government Statistician. The book, which comprises over 700 pages of highly interesting matter, takes the place of the annual statistical report on local government and of the Municipal Handbook, which were formerly published separately. The new features introduced include a general account of the local government system of the Dominion from both a descriptive and an historical point of view, and a summary of the principal legislation affecting local governing bodies. There is also a section on municipal and other local body trading concerns.

Official notification has been received that Mr Hurst Seager is to deliver his promised lecture on the subject of New Zealand war memorials—erected in various theatres of the war —in Palmerston North on July Ist next. Following the usual practice in respect of these lectures, a joint committee from the Borough Council and the local branch of the N.Z. Returned Soldiers’ Association met in order to discuss and make final arrangements regarding Mr Seager’s lecture. In the meantime, the advices received give some interesting particulars relating to the address. Mr Seager, who designed the memorials, has, with commendable foresight, composed a pictorial story of the development of the monuments and the country surrounding them. The lecture, which will bo illustrated by some 230 lantern slides, will bo welcomed not only by returned soldiers, but by the relatives and friends of those who fell in the Great War.