ELECTORATE BOUNDARIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 61, 10 April 1946, Page 5

ELECTORATE BOUNDARIES

THE BAY OF PLENTY AREA

ROTORUA FULLY ABSORBED According to maps received, the new Bay of Plenty electorate begins on the coast east of Otamarakau, embracing the whole coastline, including Whale Island, to a point just past Waihau Bay, about five miles from Cape Runaway. The boundary continues inland into the northern end of Matakaoa for a short distance, thence south-west by south in an irregular line to embrace Waikare-iti but excluding Motu and Motuhora. About here, in the headwaters of the Waioeka River, is the junction of the Bay of Plenty, Waimarino and Hawke’s Bay electorates. From Whare-iti the line turns north, traversing north before turning northwest by west in a line running through part of Reporoa and Wharepaina to the western border of Rotorua county till it approaches Ngawaro, where it again twists sharply eastward to the bounds of Lake Rotorua, which it joins at the mouth of the Awahou Stream. Thence the boundary along the northern line of the lake to the Ohau Channel, marching with the northern banks of Lake Rotoiti and along its southern shore to Hongi’s Track; thence along the Rotorua-Whakatane Road to the county boundary at Lake Rotoma, after which it turns due north along the boundary line to the starting- point on the coast, Otamarakau.

Roughly 40 per cent, of the old Rotorua electorate will be transferred to the neighbouring electorates of Waimarino, Waikato and Tauranga, while the bulk will be incorporated in the Bay of Plenty electorate if the recommendations of the Electoral Boundaries Commission as they affect this area are approved. The disappearance of the Rotorua electorate as such, the elimination of Thames and the institution of the new Piako electorate are the most discussed aspects of the commission’s report, and the political repercussions, of course, will extend far beyond the confines of the districts named.

Tauranga is stretched out over 75 miles, and in addition there are Alderman, Mayor and Motoiti Islands. Bay of Plenty covers the Rotorua, Whakatane and Opotiki districts, a distance of 110 miles long and as much as 60 miles wide.