SOUTHERN SEATS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17155, 4 October 1926, Page 7

SOUTHERN SEATS

OBVIATING A REDUCTION BOUNDARY CHANGES DELAYED FRESH LEGISLATION LIKELY (Special to the Herald.) ■* WELLINGTON, this day. .'The certainty that the last census would disclose such an increase in the North Island population .as to cause the South Island to .lose at least one electorate on the usual readjustment of boundaries caused . Southern members last session to discuss with Ministers some solution for the difficulty of const-am changes. They asked that the present number of seats be maintained in the South Island, but that the North Island should continue to get its increased representation in accordance with the growing population. Tins would involve extending the number of members of the House of representatives, a solution which means additional expense. '■ It was readily agreed, even by North Island members, that as some of the southern electorates have grown to enormous areas a method should bo evolved of keeping the constituencies within reasonable bounds, so as to give their representative a fair chance of keeping in proper touch with the of all parts. This point also apphVa to several North Island seats. There was a. sympathetic reception of the proposals from the Government, which promised to have the whole matter thoroughly investigated. It was then pointed out that unless something was done promptly the Representation Commissibner«j would automatically get to work, arid make the boundary changes hi .accordance with the distribution of population disclosed by the last census, and the boundaries would be gazetted accordingly. In the norm.nl course this work - would have been in process, but no move has yet been mads by the Representation Commissioners. It is assumed from this fact that the Government has an understanding with the members concerned, that the usual readjustment of ele'ctoral boundaries is to; be delayed until some time irext session, so that the problem can be considered during the recess, and a legislative solution adopted on which tbc- Representation Can work. Pthenyise, if they made their adjustments on the present basis of the lawjj it might* have to be considerably modified as a'result of Parliament's decisions.