THE MAJORITY QUESTION,

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1954, 10 January 1914, Page 3

THE MAJORITY QUESTION,

"MODERATE" R)',PLIES TO CRITICISM Sir, —In an article I contributed' to your columns 1 endeavoured to give a tair, correct, and informing review->qf; Prohibition progress throughout t v.-:-.the« world during tlie past 'year. 1 ■ Some'points made in that article' have not-, met with the approbation of .at--least one person, who, -signing himself..,."One Vote Ono Vnluo," proves the-truth .of Dr. Johnston's apothegm: ';You nipy, Mr. Bosivell, supply a fanatic .with argument, but you cannot give him intelligence," , And when this person..avers, that ray article was' from , "a' liquor champion," was "a tissue of} blunders and misrepresentations," concluding i with "a-dishonoured statement" concerning Mr. Massey's proposals in contrast with the Scottish ,'fomperaneo Act, tho least to be said is that he displays a ■ deplorable lack of 'intelligent comprehension of'the article as. a whole, and particularly of tlio part, which to him has proved "liis greatest trouble.'!. "Ono Vote Ono Value" ia neither a grammarian nor a mathematician. :In his fourth sentence ho uses a singular verb to a plural nominative, and presumes to affirm that 35 of 55 of 100 is 55 per cent. And this brings us to deal with tho Scottish Temperanco Act and the present and proposed local op* tion voting in New Zealand.-; . "One Vote One Valuo" proceeds, first of all, to use some delightful epithets. Ho says "Moderate's" summary of the principal of voting under -, the Scottish Act is "absolutely untrue," ■ that . the figures show "Moderate's" "aptitude for blundering," and that tho table shows "colossal misrepresentation.'; ! This, is the Eiffel Tower of condemnation! ... In history and religion ignorance, has ever . proved the fiercest persecutor. Here is what "Ono Vote One Value" says is an extract from the Scottish Temperanco Act," a,nd constitutes the basis of voting: "If fifty-five per cent, at least of the votos recorded are In favour of a NoLieenso resolution, and not less, than thirty-fivo per cent-, of the electors for such area on the register have voted in favour thereof, such resolution shall. be ■ deemed to bo carried."

This means, if it means anything at all, that 35 per cent, of voters must poll, and that 55 per cent, of these must vote for No-License before i£ can be carried. Now, 55 per cent, of 35 per cent, is 19i, so, according to "Ono Vote- Oils Valuo," about- one-fifth of the electors of Scotland are to dominate over four-fifths of tho Scottish na- ■ tion in tho matter of whisky!!! -This is "One vote ono value" with a- vengeance. . y Now. "Moderate's" reading of tho Act is that 55 per cent, of the registered voters havo to poll and 35 per cent, of these must vote for No-License before it can be carried. ' That is tho interpretation put upon it by every Scottish newspaper that "Moderate" has seen dealing with the question, and ono Prohibition organ in New Zealand "Moderate" has noticed takes-this view also. ■' ■: 'r ! - v , V ' ■ Arithmetically put, - - "Moderate s quest-ion, according to bis reading of the Act, is: If 55 per cent-,_ voto and 35 per cent, of these vote No-License, and it is carriod, what is tho majority required? Answer: 63 7-11 per cent. "One Vote Ono Valnfr_ says it is: If 35 per cent, voto, and 55 per cent, of these voto No-Licensc, and. it'is _ carried, what is the majority..; required? Answer: 19| per cent. The most precious of all "One Voto One Value's" comments is this: "Both the Scottish Act and Mr. Massey's proposal require exactly the samo majority, hut. tho voto under the Scottish Act- cannot tako effect unless at least 35 per cent, of the voters on the roll voto No-License." - . This is . beautiful. One hundred vote in New Zealand, and Mr. Massoy proposes that 55 shall carry No-License and National. Prohibition, but in Scotland "One Vote Ono Valuo" saya that if 35 per cent-, vote,for. NoLicense, the. vote is effective, yet,.-ho declares,.tho majority required in each case is oxactly the same!r:-;fES*.- ; -vV,.-.-

Many of yonr readers may,'remember that your cablegrams announced..'when tho Scottish Temperance: Bill was'intra-' dticed that the- majority' required'under I,lie Bill'.wast6o.>pcr- cpnt* to' carry No-, License. '''Subsequently, at a', confer-, ene-o between; tho contending, partiesjj'it was agreed that 55 per. cent/ of the vot : crs should constitute : 'a -»oll,Vand j-that, 35 per cent.-: of, such-poll shouid -earrv No-License...- :-.-.This is 35 per-cent. ,of" 55 per cent., which equals 63 7-llths per oast. mftjoritr, mc! this bdng tho ar-. riswas el Uw. iiAt, ■, eaablas

is??''*.;' JhS*. 5 3' .Seot.ttfii Art G-,00 snoi . .]!)»!) .sim ' Act SJOO. m\ 21!)!), ' 15102,. Proposed'.VZ. .. V o|AcfcpSw;v|| f"v':JIo(lo:a: ; o' JiddfSl .jictur*! its"<r:i('h o:tio in-order 'tq^givb-inrcloa i r J ': , aiid , 'inclisjiutabls". major.-. ;ity;g s |jrf;i!jOiio Valuo'.' :; was right, ; aiid/.').V]ier '('eiit;- oiViho' voters on the roll.wi'ro to.conslitute ;i vnlid .poll, i;and So per'ccii.tV'of those'voting to carry. 'No-l,ini>iise,'o\it.of osoo''voting (55 tier • i§ni'. .■of;3s.cqua)s 19J'per.\cant.).&(m 1059 .would carrj-..X0-L:ccnso '"against L, who. niay.'nbfetako tho. trouble,.to fecord ■. thcirj'votes.NflfDoos this calculating con-" ■.tributor, : ".wh'b|.signs?hiniself:;..'.'Ono Vote. '.OneValue,"v'expeot;.'.your.f intolJjgent reiKlors.to'.beliovo that" bis ; vote is equal ,■ iiidividually.r.to■ theirs? y': ' : ' s ' ■■•'ftThoro J.iSi'.bnly .onefmoro observation to makc,"and:tnat.:i3 that Mr. Massey's proposal :cuts .idown the proseat major-' ■ ity' required to r carry No-License by onehalf, ; andfthe?danger- this involyea to ■'individual right of prijViu<);|udement,iaiidlto.,tho financial atability' of -j tho 'Dominion. must impress every.; thoughtf'.il and patriotic man and >oman7'.ihsthis"countyl—l ■ to, etc., . MODERATE.