The New Zealand Times. MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 1926. THE SOUTHERN ELECTORATES

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12526, 16 August 1926, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 1926. THE SOUTHERN ELECTORATES

Complaints of hardship are now frequent from the South Island—once rather pedantically known as the “Middle” Island. After the magnificent Exhibition of Dunedin it is a little astonishing to see so many signals of southern distress, chiefly about railways and sea steam service, all of them representing a transport system which (say the complainants) strangles trade and paralyses enterprise. To-day we are facing the largest and bitterest complaint of all.' The census has revealed the imminence of the loss of one of the southern Parliamentary electorates, with consequence of undesirable enlargement of other electorates already too big. The questions arising here are two. Is the enlargement of electorates which is a grave direct hardship to individual candidates also an indirect disadvantage to the South Island, in our representative system ? The second of these questions, being general, presses harder than the first, which is individual. South Island members, it is notable, base their objection to the imminent change on the individual hardship. It is an bbjection very natural, but of itself untenable.

To answer these questions it is necessary to review past history briefly. In the beginning, “the boot,” as the Prime Minister told the southern deputation the other day, “was on the other leg.” Then, and for many years, the advantage was all with the South Island. That island was then naturally more favourable than the North to the rapid development of settlement. It offered great space for the large sheepfarming known as squatting, and open land ready for immediate ploughing. The North opposed quick settlement with forests and the Maori trouble, culminating in wars. Naturally settlement progressed much faster in the South. Moreover, the gold discoveries of the ’sixties added a fresh spur to the rapidity of southern settlement. Inevitably the railway era began with further advantage to the South. During this development the politics of the Dominion were disfigured by local jealousies. The evil of these feelings was that local jealousy often ousted patriotism as the key to the political work of the country. These jealousies, through the calibis of sections of political representatives—termed in those days “log-rolling”—threatened the stability of the general finance. As a heroic remedy the admirable provincial system was abolished, after a brief and fierce Parliamentary struggle. Before this abolition the country had escaped a great danger, arising out of .the prevailing local jealousies. The South Island organised a movement for separation, and the unity of the Britain of the South came perilously into the scales of circumstance. But the commonsense of New Zealand was not confined to the North, and the separation movement was defeated. Its recurrence was for ever prevented by the cessation of Maori troubles and 1 the opening of the public works arid immigration policy. Commonsense and patriotism combined had saved the Dominion. But local jealousies still were rife. The pendulum of development gradually began to swing towards the North. It soon became necessary to jjrovide for the adjustment of Parliamentary representation l according to the development of settlement, ever increasing faster in the North. After a severe Parliamentary struggle the adjustment was left to a non-political commission. The system worked well for years, but with increasing anomalies, until it has reached the point at which the South Island enters fearful and bitter protest. How to pass the “impasse”? There is but one way. Away with local jealousies, which have done mischief enough, and substitute; a broad patriotic spirit in the government of the Dominion’s affairs. New Zealand has, so far, though with difficulty, risen superior to these local jealousies. It is surely true that these are mischievous and uncalled for, and .unworthy of a people entering on wide world obligations. . Patriotism, with single eye understanding, past and present, and penetrating clearly the future, with a backing of all-round justice and fair-minded generosity, should be strong enough to settle this knotty question of representation once and for all. There is no reason why this should not be done at once. All that is necessary is clear thought without too much talk.