COMMISSION'S REPORT.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14529, 5 October 1917, Page 4

COMMISSION'S REPORT.

SOUTH ISLAxND TO LOSE THMJjlisi

AHSMBICRS

MOTUEKA ELECTORATE TO BE ELIMINATED.

THJJEE NEW SEATS FOR NORTH

ISLAND

[United Peess Association.11

Wellington, Oct. 4. I lie report of the North and South Island .Representation Commissions, sitting as a joint commission has now been received by the Governor-General. rue Commission found from the report of the Government Statistician and from returns furnished by the Defence Department as to the number, of persons absent with the Expeditionary horce, that the. total population of the Dominion on the night of the census was 1,142,031 (exclusive of Maoris and inhabitants of the Chatham and Kerniidec Islands and interned s^hens) distributed as follows v—Tho population in fifty cities and boroughs of over 2000 inhabitants, including those on shipboard, amounted to 538-334; and the urban population within 'the five miles hunt o4: the chief post offices of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dxinedm cities, exclusive of the population iv cities and boroughs of ov«*r 2000 inhabitants within that limit amounted to 36,343, making a total urban population of 574,67?, leaving a rural population of 567.404. With the addition of 2S per cent, to the latter figures, the total nominal population of the Dominion amounted to 1,300,954. This, divided by. 78, the total number of members, fixed the quota at 17,118. It was further ascertained that the total actual population of the .North Island amounied to 674,101, equivalent to a nominal population of 766,618. Likewise it was ascertained that the total actual population of the South island, including Stewar;, Island, was 467,980, equivalent to a nominal population of 534,336.

of those figures showed that the number of members to which the North Island was entitled was represented by the figures 44.78, and the South Island 31.22.

As the fractional part in the first case was greater than that in the second,, the number of members for the North Island was fixed at 45 and that of the South Island at 31. This result increased the number of members for the North Island by three, and reduced that of the South Island by a corresponding number.

In accordance with the provisions of the Legislature Act, notifications will shortly be published in the ' 'Gazette" describing the proposed boundaries of the electoral districts, giving particulars where maps of the proposed districts may be seen and1 also particulars as to the lodging oi: objections to such {.roposed boundaries. The principal effect of the proposed! alteration is as follows: — NORTH ISLAND. Owing to changes in the incidence of the population of the Dominion during the period which has elapsed since tho apportionment of the Dominion into electorates in 1911, it is found that tho North Island would gain three members and the South Jsland lose a corresponding number, which, of course, meant the creation of three new electorates in the North Island and the elimination of three in the South. This could not be done without considerable | disturbance of existing electorates' I boundaries. A preliminary n.ap sup- : plied by the Commission showe, however, that they have been able to adapt these old boundaries to quite a remarkable extent.

Of the three new electorates in the North Island, one (Roskill) has been formed in tho suburbs of Auckland, and is' an almost entirely "m-im:)" electorate. It is contingujus to the Eden, Grey Lynn, Parnell. and Jianukau electorates, and is bounded oa the south by Alanukau ii arbour. It comprises portions ot: the existing Eden and Manukau electorates and very small portions of Grey Lynn and Parnell adjoining Mount Eden. The second electorate has been ramed Rotorua, and is surrounded by the Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Waimanno, Waikato. and Tauranga electora ues-'r» lt is PrinciPally made up fro.n the Bay of Plenty, /JL'aumarunui, and lauranga electorates, and includes a small portion of Waikato. The third district has been named Manawatu, and takes in portions of the Otaki, Rangitikei, and Palmerston electorates.

With regard to certain alterations of names of electorates in the Worth Island, they have been mado so as to better (indicate the localities of tho electorates, and the same consideration has led to the adoption of the names of the new electorates.

The only effect the alterations havi made in respect of "wet" and "dry" districts, is that it has been found necessary to include in a dry district two small hotels, one the WKite Horso at Kumeu Junction and the other the Waihou Hotel, which has been taken into the Ohinemuri electorate. SOUTH ISLAND. Owing to the decrease in population, the- existing electorates have been rcauced from 34 to 31, by the elimination of Motueka, Selwjn, and Otago Central. Portions of these districts have been absorbed by Groy, Buller, Kelson, Wairau, Ellesmere, Ashburton, Chalmers, Oamaru, Wakatipu, and Waitaki electorates. _ A new district proposed to bo called Tuapeka has been formed out of the t existing electorate of Bruce and part |of Otago Central. ,-

i As the preponderance of the population in this proposed new electorate is now in a "dry" area, this will have the effect of turning "dry" a. larsre proportion of tho "wet" area of Taieri and a small, portion of Tuapeka county, apparently necessitating tho closing of sevoral licensed houses at the nest election.

The namo Tuapeka has been adopted as suiting a large part of the proposed electorate, and on account of numerous objections to the name being eliminated by the last Representation Commission.

The new Oamaru electorato will apparently eliminate one licensed house at Windsor, and the new Ashburton electorate will do the same thin«- at Chertsey. °

Maps and detailed descriptions will nob be available tili Monday.