17

H.—4B

SOUTH ISLAND REPRESENTATION COMMISSION. REPORT. To His Excellency the Right Honourable John Rushwortli, Viscount Jellicoe, Admiral of the Fleet, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal. Victorian Order, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies. May it please Your Excellency,— We, the members of the South Island Representation Commission appointed by Your Excellency on the 4th day of August, 1921, have the honour to report that we commenced our sittings on the 2nd day of November last for the purpose of dividing the South Island into electoral districts. Notice of the boundaries as provisionally fixed by us under the authority of our Commission was duly published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 23rd day of November, 1921, and on the 11th day of January, 1922, the Commission again met, and the objections and suggestions that were received were duly considered and dealt with by the Commissioners in the manner set forth, in the attached schedule. By the alteration of the provisional boundaries of some of the electorates it was found possible to give, effect to a fair proportion of the objections and suggestions. With regard to the objection to the name " Clutha " being given to the parts of the former electorates of Clutha and Bruce, it was decided to retain the name of " Clutha." In accordance with the provisions of the Licensing Amendment Act, 1910, the Commission has declared that the Christchurch Licensing District shall comprise the Christchurch North, Christchurch East and Christchurch South Electoral Districts, and that the Dunedin Licensing District shall comprise the Dunedin North, Dunedin West, and Dunedin Central Electoral Districts. We, as a Commission, desire to bring under the notice of Your Excellency the wording of the third paragraph of section 18, of the Legislature Act, 1908, which does not appear to express the evident intention of the paragraph. The Commission found it in this case necessary to pass the followingresolution : That the third-paragraph of section 18, of the Legislature Act, 1908, apply to the " urban " as well as to the " rural" —that is, the maximum allowance be a number not less than 250 and not greater than 1,250. Your Commission subsequently finally approved and confirmed the boundaries of the electoral districts, and now respectfully submit for Your Excellency's consideration the names and descriptions of the same, together with a map showing the actual and nominal populations respectively, agreeing with the totals as allotted by the Joint Commission. Given under our hands and seals, this thirteenth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-two. Robert T. Sadd. (1.5.) Harry Qcane. (1.5.) G. 11. Bollard. (1.5.) Harman Reeves, (1.5.) R. S. Galbraith. (1.5.)

SCHEDULE OF OBJECTIONS.

3—H. 2tt 48.

[o. Electoral District. Objections, Petitions, or Suggestions. Name and Address of Writer. Decision of Commission. Buller Letter forwarding petition from settlers and ratepayers of tho Karamea and Little Wanganui districts protesting against the removal of their districts from the Motueka Electorate to the Buller Electorate Petition from settlers and ratepayers of the Karamea and Little Wanganui districts asking that the districts he retained in Motueka Electorate, and suggesting that the northern boundary of Buller Electorate be the Mokihinui River from the sea to the Lyell Range Letter forwarding resolution of the Moutere Fruitgrowers' Association " that the Moutere district should be retained in the Motueka Electorate, where its interests naturally are " W. H. Mclntyre, M.L.C., Chairman of the B u 11 o r County Council Complied with as far as practicable. Buller A. R. Edwards, Karamea, and 08 others Complied with as fai as practicable. 3 Motueka S. J. M. MacKay, Innisfree, Lower Moutere, Secretary Moutere F r u i tgrowers' Association R. P. Hudson, MP., Motueka Partly complied with. Motueka Telegram protesting on behalf of those concerned against resolution of Moutere Road Board that it be retained in Nelson Electorate, a"nd suggesting that ratepayers on Motueka side of Moutere Hills should be retained in Motueka, also that boundary should follow top of range Telegram forwarding resolution of Motueka Harbour Board requesting that the, old Moutere Road Board District be retained in the Motueka Electorate Partly complied with. Motueka Horatio E v e r e 11, (Chairman Motueka Harbour Board Complied with.