SOUTHLAND ELECTORATES.

Southland Times, Issue 16736, 16 May 1911, Page 5

SOUTHLAND ELECTORATES.

In another column Mr W. B. Scanidrett refers to a matter which has already been touched upon in this column, namely, the claim of Southland to an additional member of the House of Representatives. Whatever the increase of population in Southland may be, it is doubtful whether the district can substantiate a claim to an additional seat in the face of the fact that the South Island will lose three constituencies when the boundaries are revised by the Electoral Commission after the completion of the Census. Taking the South Island as a whole the increase of population will certainly approximate 50,000, but notwithstanding this increase three South Island constituencies will be obliterated. The member for the town has long held the opinion that the publication of the Census figures would demonstrate the right of the district to an additional member, and no doubt Southland could be divided on the scheme suggested by Mr Scandrett into five convenient and eminently workable constituencies. But the difficulty is to show how the extra seat is to be provided for. Assuming that it is warranted by increased population, at whose expense does Southland propose to obtain the new constituency? Three constituencies will be abolished in the South Island to provide additional North Island seats. If a fifth; 'electorate is set up in Southland, a fourth electorate in some other part of the Island must pass out of existence, and inasmuch as Southland cannot claim the whole 50,000 increase in population, any attempt to obtain a fifth electorate in this district is likely to be resisted. As the population of the Island has increased by upwards of 50,000 people, and as the number of South Island seats is to be reduced from US to 115, it is Inevitable that the quota for constituencies will be increased, and in that way, we fancy, Southland’s increased population will be provided for. We must confess that we regard Southland’s prospect of obtaining a fifth member as very remote and shadowy.