THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1891. THE ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2276, 5 November 1891, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1891. THE ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.

Wb are glad to find that the local bodies are giving expression to the general discontent with tl>e way in which this district has been divided for electoral purposes. The general desire is that the Bangitata riyer, which is the natural boundary between North and South Canterbury, should be the northern electoral boundary of South Canterbury. That may possibly be impracticable. The Jlenrosgntatiou Commissioners, must pay due regard tq the question of population. They must fit iutq'each district, a pertain proportion of the population, and if they cannot get sufficient people in South Canterbury, to make up the required numbers for the constitutencies, it stands to reason that they must cross the Rangitata, and bring in such portions of Ashburton as will satisfy the requirements of law. This is to be regretted. as there is no community of interests between the North and the South sides of the Bangitata, This was exemplified when Mr Buxton represented the Bangitata district in the last Parliament. On the question of hospitals and charitable aid, the people north of the Rangitata wanted exactly the opposite to that which the south required, and thus Mr Buxton was placed in a peculiarly difficult position. Half his constituteucy wanted one thing, and the other half another thing, and thus he was placed on the horns of a dilemma. We are afraid the Commissioners cannot help this, -but they can help and they ought to help to make what they have called the Pareora district more compact. They can do another thing too; they

can retain its time-honored name of Gladstone. The greater part of the same district has been called the Gladstone electoral district, from the earliest periods of the Colony’s history. We find in a handsard over 20 years old that Mr Joily then represented the Gladstone constituency in Parliament. It is really absurd to cast aside this historic name for the name of a river situated in the southermost of the electoral district. We also regret very much to find the name of Geraldine which is another historic one, thrown aside, and another river’s name given to the district. The Commissioners appear to have a peculiar fancy for naming districts after rivers, but why they should do so is only known to themselves.

But, with regard to the Pareora district, this at present encircles the district of Timaru like a rainbow, and it is consequently extremely inconvenient. This could easily be remedied by altering the boundaries of Timaru and extending them southwards, and leaving the country northwards wnich is now embraced by Timaru to go in with the Pareora, or, more rightly, the Gladstone constituency This would make no difference to Timaru, but it would greatly improve the Pareora or Gladstone district by making it more compact. That, at least, the commissioners ought to do. They ought to retain the old historic name of Gladstone, and send the Timaru boundary southwards, leaving the Seadown, Levels Plains, Mount Horrible, and Wai-iti districts to go into the Gladstone district. These districts were always a part of the Gladstone district, and we can only say that to take them out of it jis to destroy community of interests, old associations, and everything else of which the commissioners should have taken cognisance. But we hope the commissioners will do this. If they are reasonable men they will comply with so reasonable a request, and we hope they will when the matter is put before them by the public bodies.