FIXED QUOTA FOR SOOTH ISLAND?

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 144, 8 September 1927, Page 11

FIXED QUOTA FOR SOOTH ISLAND?

ELECTORAL PROBLEM SOUTHERNERS’ SUGGESTION | (THE SI X'S Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, To-day. X HE Government has in hand the contentious question of «.he equitable Parliamentary representation of the North and Scuth Islands and it is possible that the passage of the Legislature Amendment B I wil be delayed so that steps may be taken to provide for d : fficulties which assuredly will arise as the population of the _ North Island increases. Alteration in representation was suggested by South Island members AAho waited on the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, to-day, placing various questions before him. Mr. T. K. Sidey advanced a scheme whereby South Island representation should remain at an all-round figure* 30, while Northern representation

should increase proportional with the growth of population. This had been suggested last session, and no objections were voiced. The scheme would mean increased representation in the House, of course, and on the present basis this should provide for a 30-IS basis in the next Parliament. If the ratio of increase? of the past 10 years were continued the North Island's population would be doubled by 1946, when, upon the basis suggested, the representat ion would be 30-60. Mr. Sidey reminded the Prime Minister that when the population was one-third of the present figure, from 1881 to 1890, there were 91 European members and four Maoris in the House. Mr. Coates: i doubt if population counted very much then. Mr. Sidey urged that action should be taken by tht Government immediately to have representation placed on an equitable basis. It was felt that the next election should see the equitable settlement of the problem, which was disturbing the minds of Southern members. Mr. Coates said that the question had been discussed, by the Hon. A. D. McLeod and himself, and he might ask for more time for the passage of the Legislature Amendment Bill, so that the difficulties in this respect might be met. It was difficult to separate New Zealand into part?, but the Government did not want to do anything that would ignore equal representation for both islands. Mr. Sidey: This does not do that. Mr. Coates: But if the population in the North Island goes back the position will be the converse. He remembered when the North was in a position similar to that in which the South now was placed, and when, there w r as no such thing as community of interest The Government would not hesitate in trying to find a solution.