ELECTORATE CHANGES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5130, 25 May 1927, Page 2

ELECTORATE CHANGES.

ABOLITION OF OHINEMURI.

ANOTHER AUCKLAND MEMBER

WELLINGTON. May 24

The result of the deliberations of the North Island and South Island Representation Commissions was announced in a supplement of the New Zealand Gazette to-day. 11 is proposed to reduce tlie represent:! tion of the South Island by one, the Ashburton electorate now being merged with Ellesmere. *A new electorate, Auckland South, is created. The present Wakatipu electorate is enlarged and renamed Otago Central.

In the North Island there has been a rearra.ngoment of boundaries, and Ohinemuri, is merged partly into Thamts and partly into a new electorate to be known as Mercer.

Objections to the new boundaries will be received up to June. 27 in the case of the North Island, and up to June 28 in the case of the South Island.

On account of the increase, in population in the urban areas around Auckland City it lias been deemed necessary to create a new electorate, to be known as Auckland South, bounded on the north by Grey Lynn. Auckland Central, and Auckland EastThe other contiguous electorates are affected accordingly. The electorate of Ohinemuri has been abolished and part, has been absorbed by Thames electorate, which now comprises the boroughs of Thames, Waihi and Paeroa. the Town District of Turua, together with the whole of the Coromandel and Thames Counties, theWaima.nawa, Waitekauri. and Paeroa ridings of the Ohinemuri County : also that portion of the Hauraki Plains County Council not included in the Mercer electoral district, has been abolished, part having been’ absorbed in Thames. The district also includes Cuvier, Great Mercury, Whanganui, Slipper, and adjacent islands. A new- electorate, to be known as Mercer, is constituted, taking in the boroughs of Otahuhu, Papatoetoe, and Howick, and extending across to the Hauraki Plains to take in part of what was formerly in the Thames area.

The population of New Plymouth has grown so large that it is now proposed to reduce the area of the present Taranaki electorate and to rename the electorate New Plymouth. The new electorate will embrace the town of New Plymouth and its suburbs and extend to Wai.tara. The electorate of AVaitomo is extended northwards, <ind it is proposed that Stratford shall take in the whole of North Taranaki right up to the Mokau River.

Franklin lias been restored to much the same boundaries as obtained five years ago, with tlie Waikato River as the southern dividing line. Some important changes are recommended in and around Wellington City.

TAVO MEMBERS LOSE SEATS.

MR NOSWORTHY AND MR SAMUEL,

The effect of the Electoral Commissioners’ report is to leave two Government members without seats. They are the Hon. W. Nosworthy, M.P. for Ashburton, who is also PostmasterGeneral and Minister of External Affairs, and Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P. for Ohinemuri.

Mr Nosworthy has represented Ashburton since 1908, and has been a Minister since 1019. The Ellesmere electorate, which has absorbed most of Ashburton, is represented by Mr David Jones, a Reformer. Another member of the party, Mr T. D. Murnett, represents Tejnuka, the- electorate south of Ashburton. Something of a problem has therefore to be met by Mr Nosworthy if he wishes to remain in the House of Representatives. So far as Mr Samuel is concerned, it would seem the logical thing for him to contest the new Mercer seat.

It is more than a coincidence that Ohinemuri and Ashburton should be the electorates to be abolished. Both were no-license areas, and they have been carved into quaint shapes by the commissioners from time to time in an endeavour to give them their quota of population while not including any licensed hotels within their- boundaries. The carrying of restoration in Ohinemuri at the last general election ended the necessity of preserving its identity, and the commissioners’ task in South Auckland has no doubt been much simplified in consequence.

Ashburton is still a no-license area, but has now been divided among neighbours which possess licenses. It therefore loses the privilege of voting restoration at the next election, while the creation of new licenses or the transfer of old ones for any distance is so hedged about by legal restrictions that under the present law it seems that Ashburton must remain permanently “dry.” The nearest hotel is at Chertsey, 12 miles away. At various times, districts such as Geraldine, Mount Somers, and Rangitata, which had not carried no-license, were included in the “dry” Ashburton electorate, and lost their hotel licenses. These also will probably, like Ashburton, lie permanently deprived of license. At the same time tlie end of the Ashburton electorate removes tlie constant fear of licensees on its borders, at Chertsey, Rakaia, and Me'thven. that they will be included within Rs “dry” territory.