RIDING REPRESENTATION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 12, 5 October 1943, Page 5

RIDING REPRESENTATION

COUNTY COUNCIL DISCUSSION

NEW OHOPE AREA MOOTED

The Council shall, on some day in September preceding every general election, hold a meeting for the purpose of considering the representation of the different ridings, and shall, if necessary, adjust the same so that the representation of the several ridings shall, as far as possible, be proportioned to the rateable value and number of electors in each riding; respectively. (Extract "Counties Act 1920").

In view of the above and acting on the instructions of the August meeting with regard to. the Oliope representations the County Works Committee last Tuesday submitted a suggested new apportionment of County boundaries based on population and valuation statistics. The areas were as follows:— Galatea, "with a mean European valuation and number of European ratepayers, amounting to 0.2(5 per cent., and Native valuation and ratepayers 14.30 per cent. . Matata 0.(50 per cent. (European) and 16.7(5 per cent. (Native). Tarawcra, 21.80 per cent. (European) and 16.31 per cent. (Native). Rangitaiki, 17.49 per cent (European) and 5.95 (Native). Omataroa., (>.54 per cent (European) and 34.28 per cent (Native). Opouriaoi, 7.82 per cent (European) and ~53 per cent (Native). Taneatua (excluding Ohope and Ngatiawa Scheme) 7.45 per cent (European) and l. ( Jl per cent (Native) . Oliope, 11.79 per cent. (European) and .30 per cent (Native). Nukuhou, 5.54 per cent (European) and 4.41 per cent (Native). Waimana, 5.(55 per cent (European) and 2.25 per cent (Native). Cr McCraeken said that the suggested division had. given the com-i mittcc considerable thought and if changes were to be made they would have to be. given immediate consideration. Galatea for instance was so isolated that it would always have to be a separate riding. There Avas no reason however to his mind, why the Rangitaiki riding should not elude Omataroa. Ohope with its seven miles of roadway presented many anomalies and he would like to see it absorbed by the Borough, say, from a line running up the Maraetotara Gorge. The balance of the present Taneatua riding, which all councillors were prepared to admit had nothing in common with Ohope, could be merged with the present Opouriao riding. He suggested further that Nukuhou might link up with Waimana under single representation., and added that his personal opinion was that twelve members were far too many and that, eight or nine should be fully capable of handling a'll matters nc'cessary for county administration.

Cr Ward law: What if lluatoki comes into- the County

Cr McCracken: Yes that is a possibility. II would increase Opouriao. but the difficulty with Ohope is that if the ratepayers there, decided to do so, they could out-'vote Taneatua every time and put in a man to foster 'their own interests. Cr Smith said lie could not see Ohope's justification for agitating for a separate riding when the ratepayers possessed that power. The Clerk stated that the present riding arrangement dated from 1917 and it was possible to have a.s many as twelve ridings if it. was thought desirable to do so. The meeting decided in view of the Jar-reaching nature of the proposals and also Cr McCready's -absence, to hold the whole proposal over lor a month to reconsider it again at next meeting.