COUNCIL REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1822, 7 August 1913, Page 3

COUNCIL REFORM.

SUGGESTION FOR ELECTION. In tho Legislative Council yesterday afternoon, an interesting suggestion with regard to' the electovates under the Legislative Council Bill was mado by Sir Maurice O'Rorke, in. the following terms: —"I would like" to see tho present twentyone electoral districts north of Auckland combined into seven electorates, and tho twenty-one electorates between Auckland and Cook's Strait into seven electorates. In the same way tho thirty-four, Middle Island electorates should be combined into thirteen electorates. By thus combining tho existing electorates only one Legislative Councillor would be elected for cach electorate, and the electors would only be called on to vote for one candidate instead of having to voto for seven in each electorate of the North Island, and for itve in each olectoratc of the South Island. "Before leaving this aspect of the subject, I might particularise how the electoral divisions should bo constituted out of tho present electorates—each electoral division returning only one councillor:— North Island (1-t members); Bay of Islands and Marsdeii; Kaipara and Waitemata; Auckland, ' Parnell, and Grey Lynn; Manukau, Eden, and Thames: Franklin, Raglan, and Ohinemuri; Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne; Waikato and Taumarunui—all in first division. "Second division.(North Island)— Napier and Waipawa; Hawke's Bay; Wellington Suburbs and Hutt; Wanganui, Rangitikei and Oroua; Palmerston North and Pahiatua; Masterton and Otaki; Taranaki, ptratford, Egmont. "South Island (10 members)— Nelson Marlborough, Christchurch, Canterbury Province, Dunedin, Otago Province, Invercurgill, Southland Province, Hokitika, Westiand and Greymouth. "Theso proposed electorates." commented Sir Maurice, "are but roughly sketched out, but they aro not identical with tho existing elocorates of the House of Representatives. The combination of three or four electorates into one would constitute a now electorate, but it would give every clccf or for _n member cf tho House of Representatives also a vote for a member of tho Legislative Council."