THE POSITION IN TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 47, 17 August 1911, Page 4

THE POSITION IN TARANAKI.

On the whole, this province has little to complain of in the alteration of boundaries. The Turanaki electorate is moved north-eastwards. The southern boundary is hardly altered, hcing just above Warea, but instead of Lepperton being the northern point the Commissioners have brought in the district this side of Huirangi and the town of Inglewood, which the boundary fringes. It is interesting to note that the population of the electorate is about 1000 more than the other Taranaki electorates, namely, 13,090. as against Stratford's 12,011, Egmont's 12,072, Patea's 12,618, and Taumarunui's 12,246. In the previous distribution, Taranaki's quota was 11,302. A big alteration has been made in the Stratford boundaries, which now cover a much larger stretch of country, mostly at the back of Inglcwood, the towns of Stratford and Elthain, and even as far south as the back of Waitotara. The main places are Stratford town, Midhirst and Whangamomona. Eginont now takes in the whole of the country bounded by the AVaingongoro river on the one side, through to a point a little to the north of Eltham, and thence in an almost straight line to Warea. It includes the towns of Eltham, Manaia, Kaponga and Opunake. The new Patea seat is a straggling one, going right down to the Wanganui river, to which it adheres for many miles past Pipiriki. It embraces the towns of Hawera, Patea, Waverlev and Waitot&ra. Taumarunui loses its distinction of being the largest electorate ia the

Dominion, the increase in settlement in the northern portions having been very marked during the past <|uinquennium. I For this result, the present mem-1 ber will no doubt feel duly thankful. It is, however, stil! a difficult and scattered electorate. Waitnra is the south-1 em boundary, or, rather, the country a few miles this side of the town, the northern being Kawliia and the easterly Lake Taupo. It takes in the towns of Waitara, Te Kuiti, Taumarunui and Otorohanga. Just what effect the redistribution will have upon the representation is hard to say. We should think, however, that it will not help the present members for Stratford or Egmont. Inglewood declared strongly for Mr. Hine, and the town is now cut out. With a popular man like Mr. Joseph McCluggage against him, lie cannot afford to lose so loyal a place as Inglewood. Manaia, a strong Government town, now forms part of Egmont, and its inclusion may make the difference between success and failure in the case of Mr. Dive, opposed as he will be by an able and energetic man ill the person of Mr. Wake, who, also, will carry in a straightout contest the whole of the no-license backing. Mr. Pearee's seat was never safe. A strong Liberal candidature would have defeated him even if the boundaries had not been altered. Hawcra, Patea and Waverley are all proGovernment towns, though the former turned on Mr. Major at last election. This, however, was probably due to personal reasons. The re-arrangement should suit Mr. Okey, that is providing New Plymouth does not revert to its whilom Liberal faith, which it may io should a strong man come forward. If Mr. Jennings is a candidate for Taumarunui, and, we know nothing to the contrary, he will almost of a certainty succeed. He knows the whole district well, and the electors know him well, and it is hardly likely that they would be so ungrateful as to pass him over in favor of anyone else, no matter what the new Richmond's ability or political faith might be.