Title: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Author: Cyclopedia Company Limited

Publication details: The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, 1905, Christchurch

Part of: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

Share:

In accordance with the Representation Act of 1900, the colony is divided into seventy-six European electorates: namely, seventy-two rural districts with one member each, and four city electorates with three members each. Of the city electorates Otago possesses one—Dunedin; and of the single electorates fourteen are situated within the boundaries of Otago. Of these, Caversham is the only city-suburb that has a member for itself. The other suburb that has a member for itself. The other suburbs of the city are included in the Dunedin triple electorate.

The representation of Otago in the Lower House was determined as follows at the last general election in 1902:

• Dunedin City—Messrs H.D. Bedford, J.A. Millar, and J.G. Arnold

• Caversham—Mr. T. K. Sidey

• Port Chalmers—Mr. E. G. Allen

• Oamaru—Hon. T. Y. Duncan

• Mount Ida—Mr. A. L. Herdman

• Waikouaiti—Mr. T. Mackenzie

• Taieri—Mr. D. Reid, Junior

• Bruce—Mr. James Allen

• Clutha—Mr. J. W. Thomson

• Tuapeka—Mr. J. Bennet

• Wakatipu—Mr. W. Fraser

• Mataura—Mr. R. McNab

• Invercargill—Mr. J. H. Hanan

• Awarua—Sir J. G. Ward

• Wallace—Mr. J. C. Thomson

Of these the only new members are Messrs Herdman, Bedford, D. Reid, and J. C. Thomson.

The number of electors on the rolls at the election of 1899 was as follows:

	Men.	Women.	Total.
Dunedin	9,646	10,438	20,084
Caversham	3,001	3,150	6,151
Oamaru	2,610	2,271	4,881
Waihemo	2,620	1,810	4,430
Waikouaiti	2,171	2,086	4,257
Taieri	2,496	2,025	4,521
Bruce	2,659	2,006	4,665
Tuapeka	2,944	1,776	4,720
Clutha	2,868	2,057	4,925
Mataura	3,101	2,085	5,186
Wakatipu	3,059	1,706	4,765
Wallace	3,009	1,571	4,578
Invercargill	2,844	2,960	5,804
Awarua	2,386	1,676	4,062
Grand Totals 45,412	37,617	83,029

It will be observed that in the city electorates, Dunedin and Caversham and in Invercargill, the women exceed the men. But over the great part of Otago, the comparatively unsettled state of the country and the character of the prevailing industries ensure the predominance of the male vote. There is not much doubt that the institution of female franchise has had two distinct effects upon the politics of the colony : the confirmation of the Liberal party in power and the steady growth of the prohibition vote during the last three years.

The allotment of members and division of the electorates is carried out by two permanent commissions, which fix jointly the number of districts for the two islands on a population basis. Up to the last general election the North Island had thirty electoral districts with thirty-four members; the South Island, with Stewart Island, had thirty-two distriets and thirty-six members. Between 1891 and 1896 the movement of population from South to North had reduced the number of South Island members from thirty-nine to thirty-six, and increased the North Island members from thirty-one to thirty-four. The general increase in population made it necessary in 1902 to arrange for six new single electorates, giving, with the four Maori electorates, a total of eighty members to the House of Representatives. With the exception of Civil Servants and contractors who receive from Government as much as £50 in any one year, all male electors are eligible for a seat in the Lower House. The salary of members is £300 a year, with certain deductions on account of absence, and an allowance for travelling expenses. It is thus possible for any man in the colony, however poor, to devote himself to a political life without finding poverty an insuperable bar to his ambition.