TRAMWAYS COMMISSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16321, 10 January 1921, Page 7

TRAMWAYS COMMISSION.

MR J. M’COMBS S EVIDENCE

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION ADVOCATED

The Tramwav Electoral Commission resumed its sitting to-day The Com missioners are Mr W. 8. Short and Mr A. Freeman. a , , , Mr J>. Sykes wrote stating that he hail intended to attend the sitting, to point out to the Commissioners that making the city boundary a hard and fast line would defeat the board's intention, which was that eacli district should be made more continuous and re-

adjusted to give the same representatJTu*. as at present. To allocate an additional seat to the city would defeat the object for which the Tramway Board was created, namely, to prevent the vitj area controlling the tramway ays tern. ,

M r Short asked Mr F. Thompson, general manager, if it were the opinion of the board that tho city boundary should be kept intact. Atr Thonlpson eaid that the board, ns a board, had never discussed the question.

Mr Short said that the Commission would give the letter its consideration, but was bound bv tne terms of tho special Act. Mr J. M’Oombs. M.P., giving evidence, referred to the unique character of the Christchurch tramway electoral representation, nnd said that he thought Lin wood, for instance©, was entitled to special representation in the absence ot proportional representation. I,inwood had two tramways, and was particularly interested in the policy of the board regarding first, second and third section fare charges. Mr Short said that the population of Lin wood was 10,600, the valuation being £1,041,000. The population was near tlie quota, but the valuation was a long way outside of it. Tlie Act provided thar. the Commission must consider the population, valuation and boundaries ol' tlie districts.

Mr M ’Combs replied that his argument was that Limvood, Woolston and other districts could have tlieir special interests served only by proportional representation, which would secure that the whole of tho people would be represented, and not merely the majorities in each district. Me would submit that, it was possible for tho board to adopt proportional representation, and if there -Was any local body that should adopt proportional representation it was the Christchurch Tramway Board. He quoted various Acts to support his contention, and said legal opinion had been obtained from Mr T. F. Martin that the Christchurch Tramway Board was a “ local authority ” able to adopt proportional representation. Air Bhort said that so far as proportional representation was concerned there was no doubt that tho board could adopt that system if it so desired.

Mr Thompson said that, in the absence of any member of tho board, he would ask the Commission, if they 7 agreed that Mr M’Oombs’s advocacy of proportional representation came within the order of reference, that members of the; board should have opportunities of giving their opinions on the subject to the Commission. Mr Short said that the duty of the Commission was to recommend a proper division of the Christchurch tramway district into subdivisions, and tiie number of members of the board. The Commission could not dictate to the board as to how the members should be elected, as that would be outside its duties. Mr AT’Combs said that the Commission might find it impossible to make divisions preserving the special interests of the special districts unless the whole district was to be divided into two, sav, north and south, or that the one district was retained under a system of election by proportional representation. The** electors themselves could decide how they would groin) themselves to preserve their common interests. Mr Short said that it was the peop/o that had to decide, not the Commission. It was not for the Commission ito express any opinion on nroportiona 1 representation. When the board was being elected was the time for tho quession of proportional representation to be raised. Ho passed no opinion as to tlie merits of the proportional representation system, but tho board alone (muld deal with its introduction. This concluded the inquiry. Air Short announcing that the Commission would make its report to the Tramway Board as early as possible.