HOW THE DIVISIONS WERE MADE. Methods Adopted by the Commissioners..

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 210, 9 July 1887, Page 1

HOW THE DIVISIONS WERE MADE. Methods Adopted by the Commissioners..

WELLINGTON, July 7. The announcement of the new electoral divisions lias set the political machine in full motion, and within the next few days candidates will begin to address the elec_ tors in their respective disti icts. Yesterday I was able to send you a definition of the boundaiie& of all the electorates within the Auckland Provincial District. This information may be supplemented by giving the populations of the several di&tricts, which are as follows :

Wide divergences are noticeable in the populations of districts in different parts of the colony. From the explanation given by departmental authorities, it appears that the rule by which the Commissioners wero guided was as follows : The general quota for the whole colony was calculated at 7,085, or an actual population of 6,004 for country and special distiicts (to which an allowance of 18 per cent,, was made under the Act), Avhilo the general quota was adhered to in the towns and in boroughs with populations of more than 2,000 each. Applying to these figures the margin of 700, the minimum for towns and large boroughs is G,330, and the maximum 7,830. Again, in special and country districts, after allowing for both the 18 per cent, concession and the " margin," the minimum is 5,369 and the maximum 6,610. By these arrangements very extensive divergences are permitted. It will be seen that thepopulationof Ponsonby comes within thi-ee of the maximum, while the Bay of islands, on the other hand, is veiy little above the minimum.

Wellington Divisions Condemned The " Post " condemns the division of Wellington districts as " very pretty work," and adds : "It would be diiiicult to match it for utter disregard for all the principles laid down for their guidance in the Act under which they are appointed. The new' district of { South Wellington and suburbs, which they have evolved, is probably the most utterly absurd disliict which was ever known in the colony. A late pork chop supper and severe nightmare could only account for uniting Kaiwarra, Johnsonville, Karori and Makara with the southern portion of, the city."

Payment to the Coiiiinis'jioncrs. The same journal also criticises the alleged intention of the Government to pay a fee of t2OO each to the Sinvcyor-Geiioral and Property Tax Commissioners for their duties as representation commissioners. "They are," it says, "exceedingly well paid for their ordinary duties, and if Parliament had chosen to deal w ibh the subject by means of a Select Committee, as was formerly the practice, they would have had to supply data or information, and no one would have dreamed of making them any special grant for doing so." The article concludes thus : "It will be a public scandal it any such fee as that mentioned is given, and we shall not be surprised if the new House, when it comes to deal with the Estimates, lops off from their ordinary salaries for the year a sum equal to any special fee the Government may give them. It is absurd to talk about reducing members' honaria fora three or four months' session, when a similar amount is given to a couple of highly-salaiied otticials for a job which has occupied them for less than a month during ordinary office hours. The proposed payment of one hundred guineas to the non-official members ot the Commission is also extravagant for a month's work. They should be content with half of it."

w aimoa, Picton 5.56S Wai mate .• .. 5,613 Duller .. .. 5,478 Waitaki .. .. 5,979 Nelson .. ..7 334 Mount Ida ..5 881 Motuoka .. „ 6,102 Waihemo.. ..6,202 Inangahua .. 6.057 Port Chalmers .. 6,100 Wairau .. .. 6,022 Duncdm West .. 7,5!) t Cheviot .. .. 6,310 Duneriiu East .. 7,699 Greymouth .. G,iS2 Dunedin South .. 6 820 Kumara .. ..5,532 Dunedin Central 7,010 Hokitika .. ..5.593 Peninsula.. ..6.301 Ashley .. „, 6,027 Kofilyn .. ..7 515 Kaiapol ..-- ..-5,160 Caversham ..6,276 Christchurch, N. 0,697 Tuieri .. .. 5.K3S Christchurch; S. 6,572 Bruce .. ..5 313 Avon .. .. 6.240 Tuapoka .. .. 5,896 Lin-wood .. .. 6,08 Dun&tan .. .. 5,091 St. Al bans.. ..6.760 Clutlia .. „7,383 Sydenham .. 7,239 Mataura .. .. 5,975 HLea'hcofr 3 .. .. 5,923 Waikaia .. .. 5,072 Lyitelton .. .. 0,109 Kakanui .. .. 6,211 Akaroa .. .. 6,0^8 Wakatipu.. .. 6,909 Sehvyn .. .. 6.557 Awarua .. .. 5,553 Ijinoln .. .. GtG(-GG t G(-G Invercargill .. 6,717 Asliburton ..6,531 Wallace .. ..GIS7 ]t'»ngituta.. .. 6,61'J Timaru .. .. 6,9! U (iidflstono .. .6.203 O.Linfitii .. . fiT.IX

"Bay of Islands .. 5,373 Taranaki .. .. 5.G39 Marsdon. .. .. 6,531 New Plymouth .. 5,856 Rodney .. '.. S,GCS Egmont .. .. 5,384 Wairomata . 6.956 Wailotara.. .. 5,433 Franklin North . . (5,1 16 ' Ha<* kos Bay . . 5,498 Eden .. .. 0,565 Napier .. .. 7,GSO Franklin South .. 6.412 Wnnganui ..6,360 Coromandol .. 5,511 Rangitilcoi .'. 5,417 Thames .. ..6.716 Waijawa.. ..5,812 Newton .. ..6,318 Manawntu, „. 5,9fQ Ponsonby .. -.. 7,832 Foxton' .. <-.. 5,390 Manukau.. .. 7,059 Woodvillo.. .. 5.67S Panicll .. , .. 7,572 Mastcrton,. .. 6,420 Auckland North 7 622 Hutt 6,243 Auckland Central 7,626 Wair rapa ' .. 6,523 Auckland VVost.. 7,260 ■Wellington S. .. 6,«38 Waipa .., ..5,512 WolUngton East 7,743 Waikato .. .. 5.595 ToA.roha.. ..7,736 Tauranga.. .. 6,8112 Vliorndon „ M 7,653 East Coast ..6,056' «'

NORTH ISLAND.