COUNTRY QUOTA.

Northern Advocate, 10 September 1920, Page 2

COUNTRY QUOTA.

EFFECT ON ELECTORATES.,

PRESENT SYSTEM 'CRITICISED.

(Special Correspondent.) WELiI/INUTiM, This Day. The existing law provides that the boundaries of electoral districts shall be adjusted periodically on a population (basis, the .principle underlying the law is tnat electorates shall be oi' equal strength, subject to a 28 per cent, quota in favour of country electorates; ibut the Electoral Commissioners are allowed a margin of 550 electors in order that they may give consideration to community of interest and geographical boundaries. 'Mr R. McCallum (Wairau) introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday a Legislative Amendment Bill, proposing to increase this margin to 5000. The Bill was reported from the Statutes Revision Committee with an amendment substituting 1>250 for 5000, and it gave rise to a brief discussion. iMr McCallum suggested that the margin allowed the Electoi'al Commissioners in the adjustment o<f boundaries , on the population basis should be increased to 1500. He said that this increase was necessary in order that x due weight m'lght be given to , geographical considerations and com- , niunity of interest. The efforts of the Commissioners to adjust.boundaries under present conditions produced some extraordinary anomalies and inflicted injustices on constituencies as well as members. He suggested also that the numiber of electorates in the South Island should not ,be further reduced and that any necessary adjustments in the future should be made by increasing the number, of North Island electorates and so adding to the strength of the House. The present limit of 80 members need not * be regarded as a fixture. Mr iR. P. Hudson (Motueka) complained that there was absolutely no community of interest between the eastern and western portions of his own electorate. He suggested that the 'boundaries of electorates should be "fixed once and for. att regardless of population." This suggestion drew a protect form Mr J. McGombs who said that the electoral system was inequitable already and would be much worse if the margin tallowed. the pommiseiomers were increased. The "28 per cent, quota allowed the country districts meant in .practice that 13,000 country peoiple had the same voting power as 17,500 town people. Equality of representation was, one of the principles of demo, cracy, and Mr McCallum was making about the most reactionary proposal that had been befpre the House in the last twenty years. \ Dr. A. K. Newman Wellington East) said the debate reminded him of the fight in the House twenty years ago, when the country people to get an , advantage of, 50 per cent, on voting power. The democratic members fought that proiposal for a week and eventually compromised on the 28' percent, now allowed the country , districts , . He had 'always felt that the quota was an iniquitious handicap on one section of the voters..' The Speaker, on an appeal from Mr Vernon R)eed, (Bay of Islands), ruled that discussion of the country quota was , out of order, since the subject was not mentioned in the Bill. . . ; > ' ■; ..,- . ■; .. ~' Dr. Newman said his'point was simply that an. increase of the margin on top of the country quota would mean that city and town people would be even more disfranchised than they were at present. The Bill was set down for commit- ' tal.