READJUSTMENT OF REPRESENTATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1266, 18 June 1886, Page 2

READJUSTMENT OF REPRESENTATION.

[From the Mail.} The return of the population in the various electoral districts of the colony, which has been laid on the table of the House of Representatives, discloses some very interesting facts and figures. From these we gather that as compared with the census of 1881 there is an increase in the European population of 91,461, the figures being 1881,482,019, 1886, 573,480. Of this increase proportionately the larger share stands to the credit of the North Island, the population of which has risen from 191,169 in 1881 to 247,404 in 1886, an increase of nearly thirty per cent, while the South Island shows 326,076 for 1886 as against 290,850 for 1881, an increase of roughly 12 per cent. In view of the position disclosed a readjustment of the representation must necessarily take place before the new Parliament is elected, and we observe that many of our North Island contemporaries are strenuously urging that that readjustment should be made forthwith. But to throw down such an apple of discord during the present session would be an exceedingly impolitic thing, and it is not likely that the Government will be so ill advised as to yield to the request; the more especially as there is no need for pre cipitancy, the present Parliament having more than a year’s life before it. Further it may be taken for granted that if a Representation Bill were brought down this session all chance of doing any useful legislative work in any other direction would at once be at an end, as the fight over its provisions ‘ would be long and severe whatever these provisions might be, and would absorb the entire attention of hon. members to the exclusion of everything else. The wise and proper course, and that which we venture to think will be taken by the Government, will be to dispose during the present session of all those matters, other than this, requiring to be legislated upon, and to pass all those policy Bills which will complete the record upon which, when their turn comes, they can appeal to the country, and to reserve the questions of redistribution of seats and electoral reform generally for the last session of the present Parliament, which will probably commence in April of next year. And it will be in every respect an advantage that the country generally should have ample time to consider the bearing of the changes which have taken place in the distribution of the population, the advisableness or otherwise of reducing the number of members, and perhaps* also, altering the basis of distribution, and altogether re-casting the boundaries of the electoral districts. For ourselves we think the total number of members might be reduced with advantage to 64, that is to say, to one-third less than the present number, which is ninetyone, and we have reason to think that a large number of members concur in that view. But even if the piesent number be maintained an alteration in the relative representation of the two Islands must necessarily be made. For it will be seen that the South now possesses more members, and the North as many less, than it is entitled to, whether the number of the population or the number of electors be taken as the basis. The disparity is, however, much greater on the former than on the latter basis, as will appear by the following : Dividing the total population of the colony by 91 we have one member to every 6302, upon which basis the North would be entitled to £9 and the South to 52 members. The present numbers are : North, 36, South, 55, so that on adjustment according to population the North would gain three additional members and the South would lose three. But the population basis is not the principle of the original Constitution Act, which lays down that of the number of electors. Let ussee, then,how matters stand upon that footing. The total number of electors for the whole colony is 130,823, which divided by 9 r gives 1437 and a fraction as the electorate for each. Of the whole number of electors the North Island rolls show 53,503, and the South Island rolls 77,320, and dividing each of these totals by 1437 it will be seen that the North would be entitled to 37 members, that is, one more than the present ' number, and the South to 54, one less than the present number. It is, however, quite possible that ths House may take into , account other considerations than 1 population and the number of electors, and when the redistribution is made it may not be based on either of these matters solely —and certain it is that no * decision will be arrived at until after a fierce and, not improbably, bitter struggle. All the more reason, therefore, that ample time should be given for the discussion of the question from all points of view before that struggle is entered upon. Meantime, in closing our present reference to the subject, we may just glance at how we stand locally as regards either the population basis or that of the number of registered electors. On the populaI tion basis Ashburton shows 4789 and Wakanui 5001, or, respectively, 1513 and 1301 under the electoral quota, so that if the strict population basis be taken the boundaries of both electorates would need to be extended. On the basis of the numbers on the , electoral rolls, on the other hand, 1 | both districts show more than the re- ] quired complement (1437), the 1 numbers being—Ashburton, 1509 j 1 Wakanui, 1784. That is as the rolls j stood when the census was taken, but j as probably before any scheme is c adopted by the House, the numbers p on the respective rolls throughout the I colony at date will be ascertained, it is o well to give the hint to all those who 8 desire to retain the present electoral * power that an effort should be made jto secure the registration of every h person who possesses the requisite tl qualification. *