THE NEW ELECTORAL DISTRICTS

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3015, 10 November 1891, Page 2

THE NEW ELECTORAL DISTRICTS

A HABTItA'-coNVESBi) meeting was held in tho Public Hall, Cambridge, on Saturday evening, to consider tho advisab!eness of lodging an objection to the proposed electoral districts of Waikato and Waipa, as at present laid down by the Commissioners.— The meeting was called by the Mayor (Mr Priestley), but owing to the wet he was unable to be present, and Jlr James Hully presided in his stead.—As wo anticipated, tho meeting was 11c t a very large one, but it was fairly representative, electors from tho counties of Waikato, Waipa, and Piako being present.

After a few intr uluctory remarks, the chairman gave way to Mr Thomas Wells, who thoroughly explained tile proposed alterations of tho districts referred to, ami tho remedy suggested by the Mayor, the chairman of the Piako County Council, and several others who had mot and discussed the subject. He was very brief in his remarks, as he knew many could ill afford tune to attend meetings on a Saturday evening. Ho traversed much of tho matter that appeared in a letter from his pen, which appeared in Saturday's issuo, and pointed out that in tho proposed alteration the Waipa electorate encompassed Cambridge on the west, south, and east sidos. He was pleased to say that tho Waikato and Waip.-i County Councils and tho Pukekura Road Board supported tho alteration he would shortly propose, with one slight alteration regarding the Borough of Hamilton, which tho Waikato County Council wished divided, part being put into either electorate, and had arranged to lodge obj-ctions within the stipulated time. Ha said Waikato and Raglan had nothing to do with each other, and Waipa and Piako were not intimately connected, whereas Waipa and Raglan, 011 the one hand, and Waikato and Piako, 011 the other, had for a number of years fought their battles together, and wore intimately connected in many ways. He thought the Waikato River should ba the boundary, as of old, and ho moved, "That tho Commissioners' territorial division of the electorates of Waipa and Waikato does not commend itself to this maeting ; that a better apportionment of the same area as between the two eloctorat.es might be made by reverting as nearly as may bo to the areas that for, say, twelve years formed the old electoral districts of Waipa and Waikato, and then dividing tho ftianwkau area between the two electorates as the population basis may require ; that this meeting requests His Worship the of Cambridge to object to tli'.' Commissioners' proposals, and to submit in substitution tho following:— Waikato electorate to consist of, say, the Counties of Waikato, Piako, Kast Tiupo, tho Borough of Cambridge, and part of the Papakura Riding of the Mamikau County ; Waikato electorate to consist of, say, the Counties of Waipa, Raglan, Kawliia and West Taupo, the Borough of Hamilton, and part of the Maungatawhiri Riding of lie Mauukau County."

ISIr A, Cleiiitauts said after lie xrinc: the veiy lucid explanation made by Mr Wells, he should havo pleasure in seconding the motion.

No amendment being proposed, the motion was put and carried unanimously. The usual compliment to the chair terminated the meeting.