The Daily News. MONDAy, JUNE 9, 1902. REPRESENTATION COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 9 June 1902, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAy, JUNE 9, 1902. REPRESENTATION COMMISSION.

During the pist week a telegram has been going round, emanating from Wellington, r. gading Clin appjintmenfc of certain gentlemen, our owe Commissioner of Grown Lands being amongst the number,asßapresenta!ion , Commissioners. Tins is only partially correct, as Mr MsckeiiZ'e is a of the Commission by viitue of biposition as Commis ioner of Crown Lauds for Taraoaki under the Representation Act of 1896. As the matter is of considerable public interest we may say that under section 2 of the absva Act, in lieu of the Commission provided for by section 2 of " The Representation Act of 1887," there w-re substituted two permanent Commission*, to wit, one for the North and one for the South Island?. Clause 4 of the 1896 Act says: -'Each of the Commissions shall consist of Pve members, of whom the Surveyor-General and the Commistioner of Crown Lands for the Taranaki and Auckland land districts respectively shall be three official members of the Commission for the North Island; and the Commissioners of Crown Lands for the Wtstland, Canterbury, and Otago land districts respectively shall be three official members of the CJUimiaiion for the Middle lehni ; and the remaining t-vo members of e*ch Commission shall be such persons aot being members of the Civil Service or members of the General Assembly, as the House of Representatives from time to time nominates as unofficial members of the Commission, the object of the Government being ta place the Commis-ion beyond political control. The sixth sjct'on of the Act sots forth that (after each census) the Commissions shall tic together as a joint Commission for the purpese of fixing the number of electoral districts for the North and South Island respectively, After that, each Commis sion shall ac; separat ly, the North Island Commission bang confined to the North Island and the South Island Comrn sssion to the South J-land. In 1893 tho North Island returned 31 and the S utb lahnd 39 memb r». A' the re-distribution of seats af er the 1896 census the North Is'and gained three members, mail ingif4,and the South Island lest three, h aving tbe'n 36. On this the fi-s 1 ; buskess cf the Commission when is meets as a joint Commission on the 12th inst. wi.l b> to apportion the number o' m-mb rs to each island. At the census of 1896 the population of the North IsUnd was 346,419, while thab of the South Island was 367,743, a dificroscein favour of th" South Island of 21,324, thus giving the Sjuth Island two members more than the North Island. At tie ceisns taken in 1901 the popu'ation of th" North Ichnd w s returned at. 388,526, while that of the South Island was 380,215, a difference in favour of the Ncth Island of 8311, entitling the No. th Island to nearly one more memi« than the South Island. The prap rti n for each island being settled by 'he j >iut Cotnm siion the members will separate, and each commission will then p'O'eed to redistribute the seats each island is entit'ed to accordiug to thn provisions of ih'-> statute. The luge increase of population in the North Inland, 'hsr with the increase in the totil number of representatives from 70 to 76, should give < he North Island atl«hst six additional menib r^ —probably at least t-vo new electorates will be forme')—on the; west coast of h<s i -1 n ud -me be.ween

NdW Plyw u h and Waiknti, and between New Plymouth and Wunganui.