THE CENSUS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1926, Page 4

THE CENSUS.

RESULT ON ELECTORATES. A GAIN FOR THE NORTH. WELLINGTON, June 11. A gain in population of 49,000 over tho South Island, which is what the preliminary census figures disclose, points to the North Island securing yet another electorate, at least, at the expense of the South. New Zealand's representation system is based strictly on population, and after each census—at intervals of live years—,a commission has Sto bo set up to look into the distribution of the people, and allocate them parliamentary representation on a quota basis which means dividing the total by 76, the number of seats for Eureopban- members. Once again the North Island shows a much bigger gain in numbers, and in due course the Representation Commission must get to work, and changes will occur. South Island constituencies are getting larger and fewer, while theNorth Island scats grow in number and compactness. Until the census of 1991 was Liken the South Island had the larger population, hut this particular enumeration disclosed a balance of over eight thou4aid in favour of the North, a difference which has been rapidly accentuated. ft had political effect in 1911. when the North Island gained a sent from the South, making the representation: North Island forty-two seats, •South Island thirty-four. After tho 1916 census, when the electoral quota was fixed at 17,11 S inhabitants per constituency, three new North Island seats came into being— Ro.skill (Auckland). Rotorua and Munawatu (rear Wellington). Then the representation stood: North Island forty-five, Bont.li Island thirty-one. Tho 1.921 census provided a more moderate redistribution of seats. Oniv one was taken from the South Island, the gainer being Waikato, which •obtained a new electorate of that name, whil-o tl io Borough of Hamilton became a separate constituency. The electoral quota bad now reached 18,131 per constituency. The North Island now sends forty-six members to Parliament, and the South Island is represented by thirty.

South Island politicians have not been content to vK.itch quietly this growing political preponderance, of the North. An effort was made in 1908 to save the three doomed seats of \\ aikouaiti, Tuapeka and Courtenay, the suggestion being that the South should continue to hold its seats, and that North Island increases in population should ho met by the creation cf additional constituencies. Sir Joseph "Ward, the Prime Minister, announced that he was quite willing to do something il tho Leader of tho Opposition (Mr Masse v) would agree, but the hitter declared that it was tho Government's dutv to submit proposals to Parlia-

ment, and then he would give an opinion, but not before. The subject was dropped until 1911. when the further loss of three southern seats

prompted Mr James Alien (now Sir James) to revive the proposal to nuuiiViiu southern boundaries, bis strongest point being that the constituencies wore already too unwieldy to work, and tilings were becoming worse. The

South got out of that situation with (Iso loss oti one seat, hut since Sir James made his. proposal it has lost another four seats, and some ol the South Island constituencies ere lar too large in area to he adequately covered |.v candidates during the. election cir.vtjmj,,,, Sir James Allen subsequently became a Minister of the Crown, tu\t he decs not scorn to have utilised lus 1 ombtonod influence to secure any oh iage in the electoral system. Unless Parliament deals with the matter earlp in the coming session, the recommendations of. the Electoral Ccmmissiea will automatically come into foice.