The Sun 42 Wyndham Street. Auckland. N.Z. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1927. POLITICAL REPRESENTATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 137, 31 August 1927, Page 8

The Sun 42 Wyndham Street. Auckland. N.Z. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1927. POLITICAL REPRESENTATION

THE time given in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon to a discussion on electoral boundaries and the many exasperating alterations made by the Representation Commission was not altogether wasted. Members, though naturally taking a selfish view of the question, at least showed the necessity for a thorough overhaul of the existing system. It should be said plainly, however, that those members who took part in the crude talk about it, looked at the subject through the wrong end of the telescope. Their own particular grievances alone filled the narrow field of vision. Most of them took the interests of politicians much too seriously. After all, the purpose of electoral boundaries adjustment is not merely to shape and determine a compact or easily worked constituency for a member of Parliament. The duty of the Representation Commission is to maintain the best possible standard of community interest rather than to study the political interest of any individual. It is doubtless true that the commission has blundered frequently in the adjustment of boundaries, but it has to be realised that periodically its thankless service deals very largely with changing quantities. Population rarely remains fixed, while in several electorates during recent years the incidence of its greatest increases has been nomadic, from South to North. Indeed, this has been so marked within the past decade that the North Island lias gained additional seats in Parliament at the expense of the South Island. This in a real national legislative assembly would not be a serious matter at all, but in a parliament which practises and favours the policy of parish pump politics it inevitably assumes the nature of a tremendous problem. The members who represent men and women quite naturally demand more loaves and fishes for their constituents than those likely to be given to the representatives of sheep and goats in mountainous and extensive rural electorates. We need not trouble much about the grievances of those politicians whose electorates have been made on the pattern of a Chinese puzzle. The taxpayer affords them ample time to traverse their tortuous territory, and if they like to speed up their Parliamentary work their opportunities for “going round their electorates” would be generously increased. AVhat the public wants (and its needs after all must be the first and supreme consideration of the Representation Commission) is a well-balanced group of electorates so that in each the interests of the community will not suffer through representation or the lack of adequate representation in Parliament. The drift of population from the South Island to the North Island is still in progress, and the immediate prospects favour a notable increase in the Auckland district. Unless the northern electorates are split periodically into more constituencies at the expense of depopulated southern districts, their members of Parliament would be representing from twenty to twenty-five thousand people, while other members would require to work only for four or five thousand people. As Mr. Jordan pointed out, the suggestion of the Hon. W. Nosworthv to take the census every tenth year and establish a parliamentary term of five years would not be economy at all, but would make for illbalanced representation and discontent. In view of the complicated problem the Government should defer its projected amending legislation for a session and, in the recess, prepare a thorough revision of the system.

THE RAGLAN SEAT

ALIiEADI the kites are flying for the selection of a new Minister of Internal Affairs—indeed, they were made ready even before the dead Minister was laid to his rest—and there is, at this early stage, what appears to be an actual rush for the Raglan seat. The aspirants for political distinction spring up like mushrooms overnight. So far, the names of no fewer than twelve probable candidates have been announced, and two of these have signified their willingness to stand for election. Among those named are Mr. Jack Bollard, a. son of the late member—though he has spoken no word of succeeding his father in Parliament—and Mr. A. 11. Waring whose chance of selection under the Reform banner is said to be favoured by lobbyists in Parliament. It will be remembered that following' on the death of the Rt. lion. W. F. Massey, a son resident in the electorate was asked to contest, the Franklin by-election, but he had mo wish to enter polities and refused the invitation. Had he stood, he was.certain of election, for the strong party vote would have been reinforced by a sympathetic vote; indeed, he would probably have been returned unopposed. As it was, the selection was given a district farmer altogether innocent of politics—and he was elected by a handsome majority because he was pledged to the party of the late Prime Minister. It may be prophesied that if Mr. Jack Bollard cares to contest Raglan in the Reform interest he will be elected. If he does not, the Raglan breach may be filled in the same manner as was that of Franklin.

SPENDING THE BUTTER-FAT BONUS

TIIE farmers enter cheerily into Spring coincident with the receipt of cheques aggregating £475,000, as bonus payments for butter-fat supplied last season, which is £63,000 more than was received similarly last year; and the effect on trade of this large distribution of money is expected to cause healthy movements in business.

Just now there are blessings other than rain pouring upon the dairy farmer. Half-a-million sterling comes his way; butter reaches a pi-ice in London that it has not touched for a year, and (due to the bounteous rains), production for the new season is fully 50 per cent, above that for the same period in 1926. Then, further bonus payments of very many thousands of pounds are shortly to be allocated. What will the farmers do with all this money ? Men in financial circles say there will be an orgy of spending—that the farmers have learned a lesson from the feverish extravagance of the boom years, followed by corresponding financial stress. There are debts to pay, and necessary improvements to property to be made. But the settlement of outstanding obligations alone will firm business and stimulate further commercial activity, and with ail conditions favourable for a continuance of this new and steadier prosperily, the immediate future of the Auckland Province appears to be very bright.