The Electoral Boundaries.
ACTION BY COUNTY COUNCIL. At the meeting of the County Council yesterlay afternoon, the Chairman made reference to the question of the electoral boundaries. The arrangement seemed to bs a very peculiar and unsatisfactory one. He pointed out that the Arai riding bad no interest in common with Hawke's Bay, but the Taupo district had good communication by road with Napier, though there was no connection between that district and Cook Oountv.
Or King asked if the Chairman wished a petition to be sent to Government to have the boundaries rearranged ? Tbe Chairman replied that hs considered it would he advisable to petition Government to leave the Arai riding in the Cook County district, and place the Taupo within the Hawke’s Bay boundary.
Cr King supported the course proposed. Cr Tuohy asked whether it would not be advisable to leave the member for the district to take action, but ths Chairman pointed out that Mr Arthur was absent and would not be back for a couple of days, and it was desirable that no time should be lost in the matter. Or Tuohy then asked whether it would not be better to call a public meeting before the Council took such a a responsibility on itsslf. Mr Carroll had said they .should not be in a burry in taking action [in regard to the boundaries, as it might appear they would be able to return two members for the district.
The Chairman said there was not the slightest chance of anything of the kind. He had gone to the trouble of getting all the information he could in the matter, and it was certain the Arai riding would have only a small say with virtually the whole of the Hawke’s Bay province, excepting the town. On the other hand, by the re arrangement suggested, the population basis would remain about the same. As to a public meeting, ha did not believe much in them, but he believed there was a feeling of unanimity in the matter. If it were found there were any dissentients from the course proposed, of course a public meeting should be called. Cr Coleman said that it was more a question for the Arai riding than for the rest of the district. The Chairman and Cr Tuohy considered that it was a matter which deeply concerned the whole district. Cr King proposed that the Boundary Commission be communicated with, suggest fog that the Cook County district be altered so as to include the Arai riding in place of the Taupo. Cr Tuohy seconded. Cr Coleman asked whether it would be worth while communicating with the Taupo electors to get them to support the action taken ? The point was raised as to whom such a communication could be addressed, and nothing definite was decided. The motion was carried unanimously. VARIOUS OPINIONS. The Wairoa Guardian favors the new electoral boundaries, so far as that district is concerned.
A Tauranga correspondent writes Considerable speculation is being indulged in as to the effect the new electoral districts will have locally. It was at first thought the political existence of the Bay of Plenty was extinguished, but the result may yet be that it is strengthened. It is pretty certain that at the next election Mr Veesey Stewart will stand for the Te Aroha electoral district, and with a very strong show of success, as as Katikati and the adjacent districts on tnis side will be sure to support him, and hi will also receive a good measure of support at the Upper Thames and Te Aroha —in fact it is believed he will receive so much support that it will take a very strong man to beat him. For the East Coast electorate, our sitting member, Mr William Kelly, will be a certain candidate, and will receive strong, substantial support all through the Bay cf Plent£ district, and to st ch an extent that he, too, will take a lot of beating. As Gisborne is completely isolated from the Bay of Plenty, we would suggest that steps should be taken to prevent the unjust obliteration of the Bay of Plenty’s Parliamentary existence.—Tauranga Times. Already talk is indulged in anent the next general election, and it is stated as a fact that Mr Gao. Simpkins, junior, Whakatane, is to stand for the East Coast,—Opotikl Mail. The Post disapproves of the amalgamation of the East Coast electorates on the ground that there is very little, if any, community of interest amongst them, and adds that similar complaints are sure to arise from other parts of the colony. The largest constituency is that of the East Coast, whioh now comprises the districts of Poverty Bay, East Cape, Opotiki, and Tauranga, extending almost to Rotorua. But this is an example of reconstituting an old constituency as it existed before the Representation Act of 1887; it is uniting in one large electorate districts which some six years ago were cut into several smaller ones.—N. Z. Herald Wellington correspondent. The Post in another article, referring to the alleged discontent that exists by reason of the alterations in the (electoral boundaries, has the following Districts which have no interests in common, and which know nothing of each other’s circumstances or requirements, are forced into unnatural alliance, and the result will certainly be that when an election takes place, local feelings rather than any political principles will determine the result. Esch separate sub district will bring forward its candidate, and the largest subdivision will win, although possibly a small minority of tbe entire electorate. The new Parliament will thus be less than ever a really representative one. The coat of canvaasi >g these enormous and scattered districts will be very large, and will deter many suitable men from aspiring to a seat |iu Parliament.
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Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 435, 29 March 1890, Page 2
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969The Electoral Boundaries. Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 435, 29 March 1890, Page 2
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