ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 199, 23 July 1937, Page 6

ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES.

Radical alterations, as anticipated, have been made by tli.e Representation Commissions appointed by the Government to adjust the boundaries of electoral districts, in accordance with the distribution of population as revealed by the last census'. It was generally anticipated that the Soutle Island was faced with the loss of two seats, but the Commission has met the situation which warranted this increase. in the North Island’s representation in the House of Representatives by taking from the South the Chalmers seat, defining two new electorates on the outskirts of Auckland and Wellington, and absorbing the Oroua electorate within the boundaries of ltangitikei and Manawatu. The effect is to give the North Island an additional member at the expense of the South. • Actually, in tlie reconstruction Franklin and Egmont (in this island) and Hurunui and Mid-Canterbury are the only electorates which are not in any way affected. There will be general regret and not a little surprise that Oroua should in tlie provisional findings of the Commissions be marked down for extinction. It was established in 1902, ’ its first representative being Mr F. Y. Lethbridge, who previously had been the member for Rangitikei, which of course contributed much territory to the new electorate. Hon.* D. H. Guthrie and Hon. J. G. Cobbe, as well as Mr J. G. Elliott, have been worthy successors, only four members having been sent by the constituency to Parliament in 35 years. It will be regretted all over the district that the Commissioners have reached thi L s decision, for Oroua has provided men of marked ability for the Legislature, and its reversion in part to the position it occupied at the beginning of the century can hardly be regarded as progress. Palmerston, it will be noted, loses its urban area and becomes a city electorate, while the township of Foxton enters the Otaki electorate instead of remaining in the Manawatu. Both changes are not unlikely to cause disappointment among old established residents in each electorate, but the case of Palmerston North may be regarded as one of progress. This is apparently held by the Commissioners to be a city electorate, and it is growing in importance and extent-every year, and destined in the not distant future to have further representation in Parliament. It must be remembered that the findings are purely provisional and may be modified on representations being made to the authorities.