H— 45.

NORTH ISLAND REPRESENTATION COMMISSION. REPORT. 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 members of the North Island Representation Commission, have the honour to report that, as directed by Your Excellency on the 2nd day of April, 1927, we commenced our sittings on the 2nd day of May, 1927, for the purpose of dividing the North Island into electoral districts. The boundaries having been provisionally determined, maps were prepared showing the same, and descriptions were published in the New Zealand Gazette, notice being given at the same time therein that objections would be received up to noon on the 27th day of June, 1927. thirtythree objections and petitions were received, out of which ten were in connection with one electoral district, four to another district, leaving twenty-one separate petitions ; the whole of these were duly considered by the Commission, and dealt with in the manner set forth in the Schedule herewith. This Commission now submits for Your Excellency's consideration a map showing the boundaries of the electorates as finally fixed, with a schedule showing the actual and nominal populations of each electorate, which agree with the figures set forth in the report by the Joint Commission, and also descriptions of the said boundaries. One new urban electorate has been created, which was provisionally gazetted as " Auckland South," but after consideration of the objections received it was decided to rename the new district " Eden," and consequently the electoral district provisionally named " Eden " has been designated " Auckland Suburbs," it being considered a more suitable name for that district. With regard to the Ohinemuri Electoral District, it was found impossible to retain it as a separate district owing to the unequal increase of the density of population, and a provisional district was gazetted and given the name of " Mercer," which was subsequently changed to that of " Hauraki " on account of objections received to the proposed name. The alterations to the electoral-district boundaries as provisionally gazetted may appear to be in some cases rather extensive, but these were entirely due to complying with the objections and petitions received that the Commission were of opinion should be acceded to. As directed by the provisions of section 41 of the Licensing Amendment Act, 1910, the Commission has declared that the Auckland East, Auckland West, and Auckland Central Electorates shall constitute the Auckland Licensing District, and that the Wellington North and Wellington Central Electorates shall constitute the Wellington Licensing District. Given under our hands and seals, this seventh day of July, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-seven. W. T. Neill, Chairman. K. M. Graham. James Trounson. W. D. Armit. John Strauchon.

SCHEDULE OF OBJECTIONS.

2

No. Electoral District. Objections, Petitions, or Suggestions. Name and_ Address of decision of Commission. 1 Eden .. .. Objecting to the Borough of Birkenhead Town Clerk, Borough Unable to comply. being included in the Eden Electoral of Birkenhead District, and suggesting that the four North Shore boroughs should be kept in one electorate 2 Eden .. .. Submitting reasons why the provisional H. G. R. Mason, M.P., Complied with as boundaries of the Eden Electoral District House of Repre- regards boundshould remain as gazetted, and that the sentatives aries. name " Eden " should be retained 3 Auckland South . . Suggesting that the name " Auckland Town Clerk, Borough Complied with. South " should be altered to " Eden," of Mount Eden and giving reasons in support 4 Auckland South .. Suggesting that the name " Auckland Registrar of Electors, Complied with. South " be altered to " Eden " and that Auckland Eden be renamed, giving reasons in support 5 Auckland East and Suggesting that the boundary between Registrar of Electors, Complied with. Parnell Auckland East and Parnell be continued Auckland along Manukau Road instead of including Lots 21 to 24 in Auckland East 6 Auckland East and Petition from residents to include Lots 23 J. M. Carpenter and Complied with. Parnell and 24, Borough of Newmarket, in the twenty-two others Parnell Electoral District