H.—45.

1927. NEW ZEALAND.

REPRESENTATION COMMISSIONS' REPORT.

Presented to the House of Representatives pursuant to the Legislature Act, 1908.

REPORT OF THE NORTH ISLAND AND SOUTH ISLAND REPRESENTATION COMMISSIONS SITTING AS A JOINT COMMISSION. To His Excellency General Sir Charles Fergusson, Baronet; General on the Retired List and in the Reserve of Officers of His Majesty's Army ; Doctor of Laws ; Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George ; Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath ; Companion of the Distinguished Service Order ; Member 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 undersigned, constituted by virtue of the provisions of the Legislature Act, 1908, Commissioners for the North Island and for the South Island, were called together by Your Excellency and sat as a joint Commission on the 2nd day of May, 1927, for the purpose of dividing the Dominion of New Zealand into electoral districts for the apportionment of the representation of the people of the said Dominion, and for this purpose proceeded to ascertain the " quota." The Commission now respectfully submits for Your Excellency's consideration the results of its proceedings. The report of the Statistician showing the total population of the Dominion was received and read by the Commission. From the said report it was ascertained that the total population of the Dominion on the night of the census amounted to 1,344,469 (exclusive of the Maoris and the inhabitants of the Kermadec Islands), distributed as follows : The population in sixty-four cities and boroughs of over two thousand inhabitants, including those on shipboard, amounted to 727,125, and the urban population within five miles limit of the Chief Post-offices of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin Cities, exclusive of the population in cities and boroughs of over two thousand inhabitants within that limit, amounted to 39,433, making a total urban population of 766,558, leaving a rural population of 577,911. Having added 28 per cent, to the latter figures, the total nominal population of the Dominion amounted to 1,506,284. This divided by 76, the total number of members, fixed the quota at 19,820. It was further ascertained that the total actual population of the North Island amounted to 831,813, equivalent to a nominal population of 929,388. Likewise, it was ascertained that the total actual population of the South Island, including Stewart and the Chatham Islands, was 512,656, equivalent to a nominal population of 576,896. A consideration of these figures showed that the number of members to which the North Island was entitled was represented by the figures 46'89, and the South Island 29-11. 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 47, and that of the South Island at 29. This result increased the number of members for the North Island by one, and reduced that of the South Island by a corresponding number. The Joint Commission, having fulfilled the functions devolving upon it in terms of the above Act, resolved itself into the separate Commissions, which respectively proceeded to apportion and define the electoral districts for each Island. Given under our hands and seals, this sixth day of May, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-seven. W. T. Neill, Chairman. R. S. Galbraith. James Trounson. K. M. Graham. John Strauchon. W. D. Armit. Harry Quane. W. Stewart. Harman Reeves. W. T. Morpeth.

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