ABSOLUTE MAJORITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 640, 18 October 1909, Page 7

ABSOLUTE MAJORITY.

- w 9. ..... MR. FISHER'S BILL, A COMPULSORY PREFERENTIAL VOTE. NO SECOND BALLOT. The soopp end objects ot th© A^sj)lul:flsa}Of"~ v ity Bill, jutrodncca Vj Ift'. Fisher, imvo been •' explained by its author to a Domwion reporter »n thp following terms — The ohjetl eovghi tp be att,uned by the Absolut* Majority Bill, \t to wpoal the Second Ballot Act, 1908, and substitute in placo thereof 1 system of voting tthich voll scow proper representation as ths result pf tho espr«ss*L opinions of the who]e of tie doctors who yoto fills BiU will grant » preferential pow« v ' * to tho. elector, ft ppwer which he must exer(j\se if he vote Mr MWi Absolute Majority Bill pro. >. vided that after having voted in tho-usual way th.6 elector could then indicate by a figure the candidate whom he preferred next aftefr his first choice But the exercise, of this rote uae optional, and not compulsory, and the Bill was condemned largely on that ground Thm Bill maVos tho Meroips ot the preferential. *ote compulsory.

Preference Show by Flgurtu Should an elector have to decide as to the \ merits of four candidates, he tuust indicate by figures—l, 2, 8, k (or as manv consecutive fig urea as there ara candidate), his order ot preference Having done that, the c)cfltor'« work i> finished The votes are then counted by the returning officer The olcotor'e first preference vote ia multiplied by the. number of c&udtdates, ea it cannot bo urged that each of his preferences is of equal value. For Instance, if 1000 deoton vote for (1) Deakin, (2) Watson, (S) Reid in that order, the value of the prcfcr.cn.ee would be—

neakin 1000 x 3, tqnoh 1000 Watson 1000 x 2 equals £000 v U«d , 1000 11, equals 1000 Thus, the number of c&ndwhtes is made to detor-iino the value pf tho preference votcf, and tho old objection that A's fourth vole giren under compulsion was equal to B'S first \ote readily given 15 diepo of , The neur system is demon«trntod by th« fol lowing tables compiled on tne basis of KHC \alid votes being ea.st for four cai^didalosi—, First Preference Votes A , 2181 x i equal!) 8770 B 1980 x 4 equal* 7940 C , 1132 x 4 equals 4523 D . „ 93$ x i equals J7JO 6240 I Second Preference Votes A 1 1800 t 3 equals 5100 B 2100 x 3 cquuls 6300* C 1 . MM x 3 fiqttals 4020 * , I) 10Q0 x 3 equals, 30,00 G2M ( •"B" is now ahead Third Preference Vote A 12T5 x i equals 255 ft 1 B a IHO x 2 equals 28SO C 1. 2800 x 2 equola 5600 1) . 1025 s i equals $50 62« This connt places "V in the lead Fourth Preference Vote A . , 1710 x \ equals 17tt B , . IBM x 1 equals 1692, C , ,™ x 1 6qua)s 1802 D , 1568 x' 1 equals 1506 r ' 021 D *' ' * b;,O ■' » 55WSS.: S 8S S'SS ThVrd preference «50 m m m ronrth. prelerene* . I'M >6M 1303 W& rmals ~. . 18,406 I8.1?J 11450 $m ,No, Buyvnj ,e( Wanted Votes In tho'Wollmgton ihAh eleolion.'tho votinj j at tho flrst ballot v.ae 0.8 follows - nerdman . • SS Bolton .., \ Mj -safe : '-' - •>--, 5S "nov, simple it would have boon, romarki Mr risher, "if the liard Bodlyy voters could have indicated their profcrenco fo? either of tbe tno lc.dlng canoidatc« "No second ballot Na great exppnse tqd intense worry No bitter strife. But, >bß< important of n} bnbery and corruption. There is no need for it n<*, but let (no 1 strength of political parties become equalised and districts *ill Tw Tjilbed, where possible, and feeling will become eo bittor that tho Second Billot Act will bo regarded as 4 cw» to the coun.tr} , . . ' Onco a political party is shown bv a first ballot that ft requires to get one hundred votes, > to win the second ballot, voles v> ill become worth paying for Tho required number )« known ten have a. week to buy support. Thrf more contemplation of Bnch a day cooiinr 19 intolerable \ ' v Informal Votes - 1

-■'One of/tfti objections ae-ainst y, . a-feill of'tHis'land-U v wit'to i.:te»ay ; -;toilet-. - papers, will be made informal pwins to mistakes . : in numbering The. answer, to th»t-».-ta»i.Jt-,."-.;■;, an elector'cangot nurabor' B>, i,'ot! s candidates:-.-,u : _< will not ask; the• n- ; : .'■; taming ofßcor-to/assist lunl,; fts..the ( law,,ar<w. ; -;, v -.-.. ' video,' fihptild that \btef" be , . allowed to: the way ,o{; intollicgnfercfgrm 1 1-, , •'«!*' ';,"ii'. •».■■''■ '''In , any caeer'does ■'hot." tho:second i,,hallnt'.: ,■-. create what. <ire:preot)cal}y informal -Tqtef-vIR;,: {■ ■: the ■ feeo6ii4:,.baUote, ;■ thousand.' more electors voted, at el«ej.-;; 4-.--tion- it eomparea-w'ith ■the.SGCohd.'...They vrent;, : : to the booth, theif ■:;: ■■.•',; votes ifcro, nbt.rccoifded'iinitho'^ltitaaW , Belep-'. , . j'- , .',i'ln tlie/.Gisborne eloct|o'nV7pol(!le,cto;rS;Toted).''j atfthe' first >bellotI: MMvftfr the ■ fijcond. ■>, Thus v^' 1510 votes ■ (i°4tna.lhr.''recoc4od<ta". '.that; , , ejection.;.h-v wer» not co«nt(\if it the .tiltimate- issue;" If y'.<i\ those ,1510 elpevirsj.hw\ possessed• wo ritjW : to : ; ., :-y oxerciee , a preferential vote on the first occii:, • V ejon, their opinions would have .influenced the „■-;,•,.- sctomV count, and without their being putt?' 'the'«eat personal-inconvetii6ncOjWhi«h:a.?econd. ■;.- - : . election mnst' necesfiwily" entail,, ~,'■ V;. V f ;' . ;. ■■•.■ <'Th(V method of ascertdining ■th?.resnlt:byJffl».C:r.;. , : rotnrning;.officer may apncAr at flrrt,! a, mm ':.■,;. eonfusine, but oxperißt<)W have shetni,'. th^v '",' the method here, proposed is, ;«a ',;■ AB.C with a little practico.';; : :;y J ;'Vv.^v;', : s