THE NEW ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1210, 19 August 1911, Page 3

THE NEW ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. COMMUNITY OF INTEREs't ANDOTHER. MATTIiKS. A discussion on electoral boimdaries was opened in the House of ]!cprcr=enUtives yesterday by Sir W. J. Steward, who asked whether tho Government would give (he House an opportunity, as the mailer was urgent, of discussing the report of the Representation Commissioners. Members, the questioner suggested, wore all largely interested in Ihe mailer, umt suggestions might be made thai would be useful to tho Commissioners. The Acting-Prime. Minister (Sir' James Carroll) replied I hat an opportunity would necessarily be given when he presented the report to tho llouso. Members interacted that it would bo then too late for an effective discussion. To this Sir James Carroll responded that it would be useful to discuss the report before the Commissioners had arrived at their final docHons. Sir AVilliam Steward: That is what we want.' , . i. ■ Mr. ,1. Hanan (Invercargill) declared that the House should have the earliest opportunity of expressing its objections to tho proposals of the Commissioners. Such a discussion would not only convey information to the public generally, but it would also assist the Commissioners, in finally determining the districts, Independent of Parliament. Mr. Jas. Allen , (Bruce) said there would always bo a certain amount of dissatisfaction with the boundaries. No doubt community of interest had been sacrificed, but.this had perhaps been unavoidable. It might be a very unfair thing it members of' this" Hous-e were'tolako advantage of their position to influence thcya Boundary Commissioners, who.were supposed to be outside the influence of Parliament altogether. If the Ministry wore prepared to undertake the. responsibility of -repj.iling the Act. they had time to do it,yet." this same troulik occurred after'; Hi p. .last general , election the Government should have 'introduced somo. amendment-4othe-Aet-whieh-dealt with tho Boundary. .Commissiaiier.s. ..

The Hon.'lf. M'Kenzio: "How do you propose to alter it!-"

Mr. Allen said lio hail already made a ■suggestion from the public platform. Since the South Island was not increasing in. population as rapidly as tlio North, its representation should bo imulc stable. Tlit> North Island could thon be given- an iucreass' ot seats from time lo time. I'licro would not then bo so much culling up as at present,-and. there would not,be the huge constituencies that now existed iu tlio South Island. I'll any event, tlio House should lw very careful indeed in dealing as a House of Parliament with the report of tlio Boundary Commissioners. Any attempt upon the-floor of the House, {3 deal with I heir work, might be construed as-an attempt lo.i-il-flueuco tlieir decision a fortnight hence. Group Districts Advocated. The.Hon. G.. Fowlds en,id that; what had been proposed by v thc lion, gentleman would not get over ihe difliculty incidental, to alteration of boundaries. It was quite possible Hint if the plan were adopt'eil the change in the South Island might bo - nmcli greater than nt present. Growth of population, even though the plan were adopted, might cause a greater disturbance than' the loss of n 'seal.' A better jnethod would bis to .divide the district , ' , into-larger-areas with- groups' of members. ■■ The number _of members in each "area , could" (lien bo varied iuae'eordaucc! witii growth of population. Sir. Massey asked the Acting-Prime, Minister whether il.was true:.(hat, prior, t.) the meeting of the commissioners, (ho . SurveyDepaTlihont wiis instructed to prepare plans..sliowjnjj.Jl.u, , necessary .altera.. tions of in, accordance, :,wjththe movements of tlie population,' and (hat those plans were'handed to the commissioners on the unilersta.-3i)hig tlint they might' make any alteration they'considered .necessary."

The' Hon." K. Al'Kcnzie '(Minister for 'Public Work) uracil (list I hero must bo ilia n.t tern lit' to imerfero with '(hi! commissioners. Diseussing the goiioi-jl question ,Alr., ALMCenzie said lhat lie strongly protested against tho fixing of Iho number of members (r> ,bi> velurr-.od by the- -viiil h J-dand, lor .lift anticipated thai' within five yea is Ihe growth of x>opuluiiou.in Xolson, Mtirlborough, ami tho AV-cst Coast would entitle the. South , ]?-■ lanil lo au additional-memlwr.■■Kcptyinif: l.i -Air. JlKssey'lhe Alinister said that tho Governnient had..had nothing to-do with (he, preparalioji'of. tho plans.', [ . Afr.-JlaT-sey: .-riicy wcro prepared-by-th.' burvoy Department." The Minister explained that tho commissioners had been supplied with niaps showing the population in tho various ridings, town district*, ctc.,.lnit ho had never heard that'they showed any boundaries. ' "■ ■■■■■■ What Mr. Massey Wanted to. Know, ' Mr.. Massey said that wh.it lie wanted lo know was whether maps showing proposed boundaries were prepaid before Hie eomimssioners met , Jl . r, r\-r M, Jly< ' rs " < A «cklaud East) supported tho contention that tho eomnis. poScSUr K ' m -■•«- j^-pl-nce. l'lio law was clear upon 11,,, w ,," ■rr ' '! rovi!! ' o "' , was. mad? for (he Housf (o discuss the report of tho com" .miners.' Tile commission «•„" im... pendent of Pnrlianieut, and I'iis hml ben, intended. It had been bad enou"h n' thoolddnvs of "87. ami «, „„, „■,,; tt ,"; yalo members had lx-en enabled tu •<>!■ boundaries fixed-In suit; tliem«..lvos "tt ■would be ten times ivnr.se. if cot erics anil cabals were free to operate mid resolutions passed condemning (he cuiimi« sioner.H lor tho proposals thai: thev wero making. ]f members of the Jl o ,,se woregejng to discuss thevc inatle'ra pubiiclv' were they going to object to members of (ho Government goins;' U> (he eommis aoners and saying what they thought

n J l I \i J V iV H ° Sfl " CWnnciuiiii) agreed that-tho time was not opporluno for dis cussing tho" report. It would bo well for the Government to disclaim any responsibility in connection wilh the fixiii" of boundaries. Jinny people thoii"!rt that the boundaries had been fixed V tho ■Government, and that Ihev had ii Riinvance against the Government.. This impression should be corrected.. , ■ ■■ . ' ' Aii Emphatic Denial. . . Tltf AcliiVg-Primo }|mister igi,. ',T n 'j nos Carroll), replying to Sir A\". ,1. StewMfd said, lie could' not possibly brine; ltnuDdurie.-i Keport before 'the Hou-e befnro .it hud been presented. Tim mutter was governed by Malulory provisfotr "In reply to. IliK.suirge-liou "of, the' Leader of l-lid Opposilion." slid tho .Vrling-rrime Almisier, "(fiat directions Hind been given—-•" AFr. Jfassey: \o, that boundaries had been suggested. ..... . .•• Tho Aotine-Priiiie Minister; T will give .it nn emphatic' denial. . The Hon. T. Y. Duncan (O:\mnniV contended tha(>-no regard lnd been- paid toconnpunity (if- intcrosti Mr. Duncan was proceediu? to criticise tho alteration of boundaries', when ._ jrr. fi. V. , Pearto (Patea) rose to ivsk if tho bou. gentleman was in order. Air. Speu\-or i'nlod that, in view of this objection,'the. discussion could not 'jtroceed.