ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1917, Page 2

ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES.

TUB COMMISSION’S REPORT

SOUTH ISLAND LOSES THREE SEATS.

trim muss association. —copyright.]

WELLINGTON, October 4. The report of the North and South Islands Representations Commissions found from the report of the Government Statistician and from returns furnished by Defence Department as to number of persons absent with the Expeditionary Force that the total population, of the -Dominion on the night of the census wa51,142,081 (exclusive of Maoris and the inhabitants of the -Chatham and Kermadec Islands and interned aliens). The population was distributed as follows: —Population in fifty cities and boroughs of over 2,000 inhabitants, including those on shipboard, amounted to 538,334, and the suburban population within a five miles limit of the chief post offices of AuJakUand, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin cities, exclusive of the population in the cities and borough? of over 2,000 inhabitants within .that limit amounted to 36,343, _ making a total urban population of 574,677, and leaving a rural population of 067,404 Having added 28 per cent to the laitci figures the total nominal population o the Dominion amounted to 1,300, Wo This, divided by 76, the total numbei of members, fixed tho quota at 17,118 It, was further ascertained that tin total actual population of the Nortl Island amounted to 674,101, cquiralen to a- nominal population of 1 66,618 Likewise it was ascertained that th total actual population of the Soutl Island, including Stewart 'lsland, wn 467 980, equivalent- to a normal popula tion tpf 534,330., Consideration of these figures showed that the numbeof members to which tho North Islam was entitled was represented bv tin figures -44.78, and the South Islam 31.22. As the fractional part in th first case was greater than that in tin second the number of members for tin North Island was fixed at 45 and tlm ' of the South Island at 31. This resul increased the number of members fo the North Island by three, and reduce, that of tho South Island by a corro sponding number.’ Of the three new electorates in tin North Island one (Roskill) has heel formed in the. suburbs of Auckland an, is almost entirely an “urban” olectorat It is contiguous to the Eden, Gr<\’ Lynn, Parnell, and Manukau elector ates, and is bound on the south b; Manukau Harbour. It comprises por tions of Grey Lynn and Parnell, ad joining Mount Eden. The second electorate lias been nam ed Rotorua-, and is surrounded by tin Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Wai marine, Waikato and Tauranga elector ates, and includes small portions o the Waikato. Tho third district has been name, Manawatu and takes in portion of th. Otaki, Rangitikei and Palmer st-oi electorates.

With' regard to certain alterations in the names of electorates in the North Island they have been made so ns to better indicate the localities of electorates, and the same consideration has led to the adoption of the names of the new electorates. The only effect the alterations have made in respect of “wet’' and “dry districts is that it has been found necessary to include in “dry” districts two small hotels: one, the White House at Kumeu Junction, and the other the Waihou Hotel, which has been taken into the Ohinomuri electorate.

Tlio South Island—Owing to a decrease in the population the existing electorates have been reduced from 34 to 31—viz., Motueka, Selwyn, and Otago Central. Portions of these have been absorbed by Grey, Buffer, and Nelson, and Wairau, Ellesmere, Ashburton, Chalmers, Oamara, Wakatipu, and Waitaki electorates. A district to be called “Tuapeka” ha« been formed out of the existing electorate of Bruce and part of Otago Central. As a preponderance of the population in the proposed new electorate is now on the “dry” area this well have the effect of turning “dry” a large proportion of the ‘/wet” area of Taieri and a small portion of Tuapeka country, apparently necessitating the closing of several licensed houses.

Tho now Oamaru electorate will apparentlv eliminate one licensed house at Windsor and the new Aushbnrton electorate will do the same thing at Chertsey.