Voting Systems.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18403, 9 June 1925, Page 8

Voting Systems.

Many of the theoretical virtues claimed on behalf of the Proportional Bepresenta'tion system of voting would appear to fade ( - away suddenly when the actual operation of the system provides a practical test. The recent Parliamentary poll conducted in New South Wales according to P.B. principles has produced anything but a feeling of satisfaction with the merits of the device, and according to a cable message from that State neither the Coalition nor the Labour Party has anything good to say for it.» A perusal of the report printed to-day from the substitute Bcturning Officer relating to the conduct of the recent municipal elections in this city brings into the open farther testimony of a practical nature unfavourable to P.B. The"" voting this year was conducted according to the system in standard use all over the world, whereas on the occasion of the former municipal ' elections P.B. , was employed. The comparisons set out' in the report are vitally interesting. It may bo menturned that the polling last April was

carried through.under circumstances of peculiar difficulty—an undivided city and a large number of candidates—but in spite of this, electoral errors and polling expenses showed a substantial reduction in comparison with 1923. For the election of councillors the informal votes were 2.04 per Cent, in 1925 as against 8 per cent, in 1923, for the Hospital Board the informalities were 1.72 per cent, in 1925 and 8.4 per cent, in 1923,, and for the Harbour Board 1.87 per c.en\ in 1925 and 9 per cent, in 1923. It is difficult to be enthusiastic about a system by which from 8 per. cent, to 9 per eent. of the voting papers issued become invalid by reason of informalities enacted by bewildered electors. In the. matter of cost, also, the tried and trusty system of long usage proved its superiority. In 1923, under P.R., the cost of the municipal election worked out at £ 18 13s 4d per 1000 votes, while in 1925, under the direct system, the cost was £ls lis per 1000 votes. The total cost of the 1925 election was £1422 as against £ 1C29 iu 1923. Though these are not the only, or the chief objections to P.R., experience shows that the present system offers to the elector a more efficient and less expensive process of voting, and to' the candidate a better chance of securing election according to personality and worth.