single-seat constituencies.

He spoke out following the announcement of the membership of next month's Constituency Boundaries Commission.

Mr. Wade said the Commission's powers were set out in the Bermuda Constitution.

But he charged these did not include ensuring House of Assembly seats reflected similar numbers of voters.

"What we in the Progressive Labour Party want are one-man, one-vote single-seat constituencies,'' said Mr. Wade.

He said constituencies needed to be worked out according to population.

It was unfair for smaller parishes such as Paget and Smith's Parish to have the same number of MPs as larger ones, like Warwick and Devonshire.

"Devonshire, for example, should have, say, five seats, Smith's three seats and Warwick five seats,'' he said. "That would reflect the population make-up better.'' Mr. Wade said such moves, which he said would make Bermuda more democratic, required alterations to the Constitution.

But governments in Bermuda and Britain were unwilling to do this, he added.

Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister Mrs. Lois Browne Evans, who has been appointed to the Commission, said: "What we as a party want are electoral boundaries with no relation to parishes.

"That way we will get votes with an equal value from St. David's through to Dockyard.'' Governor Lord Waddington has appointed Sir Frank Blackman, the former Cabinet Secretary and head of the Barbados Civil Service, to chair the Commission.

He has also appointed Sir Clifford Hammett, a former Chief Justice of Fiji, as the judicial member.

Government and PLP were each entitled to make two appointments.

Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan selected Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul and Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess, while Mr. Wade chose deputy leader Mr. Walter Roberts and Mrs. Browne Evans.

Mr. Gladstone (Tab) Bassett, who assisted the 1986 Boundaries Commission, has been retained as Secretary.

A Government spokesman said the Commission should meet early next month.

Under the Constitution, the Commission has to be appointed "not less than three nor more than seven years from the date on which the previous Commission submitted its report''.

The last Commission recommended changes to four parishes -- Devonshire, Paget, Hamilton Parish, and Southampton.

Any changes had to be approved by the House of Assembly, the spokesman added.