THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1886.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7656, 5 June 1886, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1886.

Whkn referring a short time ago to tho census returns we stated that the increase of its population entitled the Auckland provincial district to at least four additional representatives in Parliament. But the fuller information which ha 3 since been obtained, and which was published in our issue of Tuesday last, places us in a position to say that, taken as a whole, the district can lay claim to six extra seats, and that live these could be carved out of that portion of the district comprising the city and suburbs of Auckland. Reckoning 5000 of a population as the average number included in each electorate, which is the basis adopted by Sir John Hall in the Representation Bill of 1881, tho above statement is easily verified. It has been shown in previous issues that within a radius of six miles Auckland has a population of 62,000, which, on the above basis, ought to secure for her twelve seats in the House, instead of seven, as at present. The better, however, to serve the purpose of distribution we propose at this time to go in some directions slightly beyond the six miles radius and indicate the re-adjustment of the existing electorates by ' which the five additional seats may be obtained.

The East and North Wards of the city are commensurate with the electorates of these divisions, and may be allowed to remain as they are, the former having a population of 5004, the latter 6339. In Ponsonby and City West Wards combined there is a population of 15,195, which ought to be divided into three electorates, to be called respectively, Pocsonby, City West, and City Central, each having in round numbers a population of 5065. The Karangahape Ward, with the western half of Grafton Ward, have a population of 5670, and should be constituted an electorate to be known as City South. The Eden electorate now including BGG9 souls, ought to be restricted to

the districts of Mount Eden, Eden Terrace, and Mount Roskill, which together give a population of 5100. In like, manner the Manukau electorate should be restricted to Onehunga, Onetree Hill, Mount Wellington, and Tamaki est, with an aggregate population of 4960. Parnell electorate should consist of Parnell borough and the eastern half of Grafton, which unitedly would embrace a population of 5750. There would thus remain on the eastern side of the city the borough of Newmarket, Remuera, and Epsom, with a population of 4250, which might bo designated the Remuera electorate. Similarly on the -western side, the boi;ough of Newton, with Archhill, Mount Albert, and Point Chevalier, comprising a population of 5,' 590 would bo constituted into what might very appropriately be called the No wton electorate. Proceeding across the harbour we find that the Waitomata electorate now has population of nearly 8000, the larger half being resident at Devonport, Lake Takapuna, Birkenhead, and Northcote. l'> v associating with these places a portion of the Wade district, a suburban electorate under the name of Devonport could be erected, with a population of no; 1 "- less than 4500. If again, Avondale on its western side, and several small districts on its northern border wen") added to Waitemata, this electorate vould still have a population of at least s>ooo. The northern electorates of Rodney, Marsden, and Bay of Islands, with' .the slight reduction made from the first on behalf of Waitemata, might continuous they are. But those of Franklin. .North and Franklin South, with Wavkato and Waipa, have so increased as to require a redistribution which would admit of a new electorate being established in the central portion of the provincial district, to be known by the name of Ngaruawahia. For our present purpose, it may be presumed that the East Coast electorates, Thames Coromandel, Tauranga, and Gisbornie will remain unchanged, though the probabilities are that the country districts of Poverty Bay have had such an accession of settlers since last census as to entitle them to be constituted a constituency distinct from the town of Gisborne. It will thus be seen that, on the basis of population already mentioned, the Auckland provincial district has a right, to not, fewer than twenty-five seats in the House of Representatives,

in place of the nineteen she now possesses, and may be distributed as follows :—For Auckland City, six ; for Auckland suburbs, six ; for northern country division, four ; for central country division, five; and for East Coast division, four. This would, as it respects representation, place Auckland on the same footing with Otago, and that without including the. native representatives. If, however, in the new Representation Bill, the redistribution of seats according to population be rigidly adhered to this equality would be departed from in favour of Auckland ; because in several places in Otago, as in the South Island generally, the population has decreased, and ought to be followed by a corresponding decrease of representation. But it is not at all likely that the South Island members, forming as they do at present a majority in the House, will consent to a diminution of their numbers. Perhaps, too, it might be good policy on the part of the Northern members not to insist on , this, bat to direct their efforts towards securing that enlarged measure of representation in Parliament which the North Island can claim, in virtue of its general increase of population since the last Representation Bill was passed. Upon our Auckland members especially is the duty incumbent to see that the additional seats in the House obtained for this part of the colony is in just proportion to the undoubted numerical strength of its inhabitants.