MORE MEMBERS FOR THE NORTH.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10766, 15 May 1911, Page 4

MORE MEMBERS FOR THE NORTH.

REPLY TO A SOUTHERN PROPOSAL.

HON. G. FOWLDS' OPINION,

(Star Correspondent.) Auckland, May 13.

Interviewed on the question of electoral representation, the Hon. G. iFowlds (Minister. of Education) said he had read with interest the proposal put forward by .Mr James Allen, M.P., that. the law should he amended so as to pro-, vide that while in the future the South Island, should lose no more seats the North Island should have_ additional electorates created if the increase of population warranted it. The Minister said he would not object to the principle if the electors of New Zealand expressed a willingness to endorse it, but it had to be remembered that when the South Island had predominance in the matter of population the same commiseration was not .'"expressed for the size of the electorates in the North Island; in fact, even how the majority of" the electorates in the north were more unwieldy in size thanthose of the south: Then, again, it had to be remembered that if the question of representation'was to be dealt with in the way suggested it would/not merely be, as in the present case, a question of three or four niore representatives for the North Island. On'the contrary, it- would mean under similar circumstances to those now obtaining that if the South Island was not to lose representation to' the extent of three or four seats, then the: North Island would have" to gain to : the extent of seven or eight. Merely granting the North "three or four new seats and taking nothing at all fro,m the South would be a far fromreasonable adjustment of the position as disclosed by the census, and Southerners who were favorable to Mi - Allen's proposal would hare, to bear that fact, in mind.' Then there was also the question of the number of members of Parliament ultimately growing too large under such- a scheme. Nothing, however, could be done to change the, existing" law. this session, and there seemed little doubt, judging by the census returns available, that at least three seats-,wo.uld be transferred from, the South to the North before next election.