MR. FISHER'S BILL REPEALING SECOND BALLOT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 650, 29 October 1909, Page 3

MR. FISHER'S BILL REPEALING SECOND BALLOT.

; Sir, I have read <the letter' of your corrospondent' ' E.G.G.S. on the' suggested system of preferential voting. His figures only go to prove that the object of the Bill'would have- been attained. Ho says the Government candidato. received 775 votes, the Oppo- . j l ?, o ? ll didate 775 votes, and.the Independent candidate 850 votes, tbo latter thus winning. What does this indicate? That the Independent candidate would have., beaten either of ;his oppononts in a straight-out issue. And is botrer . that where' neither Government •nor Opposition is strong enough to win a seat by an absolute majority of voters against all comers; -an-Independent or third man should have a chance for-a win? He certainly can claim to represent as much -public opinion as . either of the other two candidates. Your correspondent .says that such a system .is not any improvement on the second ballot. • May I p6int out in. the first place that fifteen of the^ second ballots confirmed the first election, thus causing a huge expenditure of money'arid much unnecessary excitement and bitter feeling without any justification? But the real danger of the second ballot is m my opinion, yet to be • seen. Should any two political parties ever. get to grips over a second ballot and'at a time when tlio votin" power of the two parties in the House is nearly equal, the position that will arise will be intolerable. The whole prestige of a Ministry may turn on a by-election at which tlioyvot'ing .is: Opposition ' •„.,. 2000 • Government 1900 . 1 , .Independent. 131 4031 Here a second ballot will be necessary to. find out how those 131 voters aro going. 'lYhilst the 2000 Oppositionists and 1900 Government voters are using every effort' to conservo their original vote and yet convert each other, strenuous efforts will ljj made to find out who and where are these .131 voters, who practically hold the election in the hollow of their hands. Indeed the temptation. to avoid the secrecy of the ballot will become very keen. My Bill, I know, was far from perfect, but if carried it would have repealed the Second Ballot Act, and that was its main purpose. : As to your correspondent's supposititious case in which throe candidates aro made to tie, may I ask your correspondent what there is under present conditions to prevent three, or even four, candidates tie-ing at a first ballot under the present law? It is about as likely ns your correspondent's imaginary illustration.—l am, etc., . , ' • F. M. B; FISHEK. ' Wellington, October 25, 1909.