Page:South Africa Act 1909.djvu/11

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22
South Africa Act, 1909.

A.D. 1909.

Method of dividing provinces into electoral divisions.

40. (1) For the purpose of such division as is in the last preceding section mentioned, the quota of each province shall be obtained by dividing the total number of voters in the province, as ascertained at the last registration of voters, by the number of members of the House of Assembly to be elected therein.

(2) Each province shall be divided into electoral divisions in such a manner that each such division shall, subject to the provisions of sub-section (3) of this section, contain a number of voters, as nearly as may be, equal to the quota of the province.

(3) The Commissioners shall give due consideration to―

(a)

community or diversity of interests;

(b)

means of communication;

(c)

physical features;

(d)

existing electoral boundaries;

(e)

sparsity or density of population;

in such manner that, while taking the quota of voters as the basis of division, the Commissioners may, whenever they deem it necessary, depart therefrom, but in no case to any greater extent than fifteen per centum more or fifteen per centum less than the quota.

Alteration of electoral divisions.

41. As soon as may be after every quinquennial census, the Governor-General-in-Council shall appoint a commission consisting of three judges of the Supreme Court of South Africa to carry out any re-division which may have become necessary as between the different electoral divisions in each province, and to provide for the allocation of the number of members to which such province may have become entitled under the provisions of this Act. In carrying out such re-division and allocation the commission shall have the same powers and proceed upon the same principles as are by this Act provided in regard to the original division.

Powers and duties of commission for delimiting electoral divisions.

42. (1) The joint commission constituted under section thirty-eight, and any subsequent commission appointed under the provisions of the last preceding section, shall submit to the Governor-General-in-Council―

(a)

a list of electoral divisions, with the names given to them by the commission and a description of the boundaries of every such division:

(b)

a map or maps showing the electoral divisions into which the provinces have been divided: