GERALDINE OBJECTS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 881, 24 January 1907, Page 21

GERALDINE OBJECTS.

The Representat.on Commission opened its sittings for the South Island in Christchurch last Thursday. Press representatives were not admitted. The Gera'dine district wh.ch objects to inclusion in the Ashburton electorate, was represented by a deputation consisting of Mr Macdonald (Geraldine County Council), and Messrs Maslin and Mayling (Geraldine Borough Council). The ground of the protest in this case was that Geraldine, being a rural district, would, if the proposed change were made, be po itically over-shadowed by the town population of Ashburton. It was po.nted out that Ashburton is in North Canterbury and Geraldine in South Canterbury, the Rangitata River being the recognised boundary, and it was contended that this should also be the electoral boundary as at present. The case of Geraldine is one that, has aroused considerable public interest on account of the fact that the district includes six hotels wh ch, in the event of the proposed! change of electoral boundaries being given effect to, will be transferred to the no-icense district of Ashburton. As a consequence, , hese hote’s will have to be closed unless Ashburton at the next licensing poll reverses its decision. This aspect of the matter, however, does not enter into the deliberations of the Representation Commissioners, as the'r order of reference expressly excludes licensing matters, and instructs them to make population the basis of the readjustment of boundaries rather than consideration of community of interest.