PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2301, 7 November 1914, Page 4

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION.

; ■ I ....... ■- : - Sir,-j-Don't you think, on mature • consideration, that it would have been wise as'r yrcll as courteous on your part •to 1 hare treated Sir Joseph Ward's ' policy speech ■ more seriously than you r dul in. sour leading artiolo of yesterday? Of course I know , that ridicule is a deadly weapon in the'hands of a clever nriter, 'fjnd that tho party journalist is mors anxious to kilfi his political opponent than he is to demolish his arguments, but surely tlio Press owes sonio ■duty to'the public in a matter like this.: I have;no particular desire to seethe Leader •of ths Opposition dead—poli- ■ :■■■ tio*lly-for otherwise—and I really do Want to learn more about his policy. Take, for instance, your allusion to Sir Joseph ' Ward's electoral proposals.. ■ "Proportional representation, which is not propoiiiorial . representation, but / something else entirely different' to Buit • the Socialists who want proportional re-: presentation and tho country people who want the country quota," you say, ■"'is another scintillating gem in this . delightful vote-snaring policy." ' This .13 a very observation; no doubt, but you admit it does not convey "very much information to the reader.;. ■ -■ ■ , ; In your report of Sir Joseph Ward's speech I find tho following summary of his remarks on electoral reform "The present condition of the electoral : laws was so unsatisfactory ; that a ohonge -must be made, and he pledged the Liberal Party, should; they be re- • turned, to power, to establish a system of proportional representation for the House 'of Representatives, witli:rea6onable groups of. electorates, andjreservation of'.the country; quota.;. Kiose who • want proportional representation without tho: country, quota, must remember that the country quota existed nojv, "and had done so for ovor a 'quarter of a century; and there was. no possibility of obtaining- proportional representation ■ without tho country quota." You say'this is a scintillating gem in a policy. Well, let u» suppose. it is. Mr. Massey says that ■ proportional representation is the' best' system.: of representation that, has yet • been devised, but that it\cannot' be put, >■ into operation , without creating very .large electorates, and abandoning : the country quota. ; . Sir . Joseph -Ward -agrees-with Mr. Massey as to.'the' merits of tluy system; | and, if 7011 have- . reported him icbrrectly; ;is ready to'put :- it .'into, '. operation "with .. reasonable" : groups', of electorates," and without abandoning the'country quota. - ..... Personally, I believe this can be done! In . the- Bill - - Mr. Fowlde -introduced - in 1911 proportional representation was , to be obtained by grouping from three to six of tho existing electorates, and the country quota was to be practically undisturbed., ... I know the best results—tho most f precise- results ,that. bo.ob-' ' tamed from. proportional representation in very large .electorates returning a sufficient number of members to represent every' school ofc thought ; ; ibi;t thei objection to large electorates is that they -place the poor candjdato at a very . gpve disadvantage. A great deal of rub 7 - bish has. been .talked on this .point even by Mrl Massey and other members of tno House who pass' as sensible men. . To begin; with, :.at ariyrato, tho constituencies should - he - comparatively small, in order to -place the poor man and the.rich man on Something like an equal- footing. It would 80, ridicu-'. lous to argue that Sir Walter'Buchanan, for instance, with unlimited money and motors; and leisure at his. 'disposal, wonld .be in no better position to ciin- • • vass a constituency as large as half the North Island than Mr. Hornsby would ■ bo. . ,■■■■ " -. ■" •

V As for the country quote, Sir; Joseph Ward .-is '■■perfectly;- honest about this matterr •Hβ says : the quota is on the .Statute' Book,?and 'remain;-there till a majority of the country members are prepared ,to.,surrender; theiripriyilege. : >Mr. Mas'sey, if ,you: .will'all6\v me to isay. \so,i has -not. beem: quite 'bo candid. - Hedias just passed a Bill applying proportional , .; >-reprjesentatiori to tho Legislative .Council}; without;';the quota, but , it does not come into even partial: operation fort three years, and. ■■yet the;Prinie Minister;ite.:already talking about amendments "'in; 'the 'measure which will have to be made next session) But : .this,;-you may say;:is beside the..' qiiostion. '■>. What' I really -want is a more definite 1 statement' of; your objections;;'to Sir; Joseph 'Ward's "proposal.—l : amy etc.,- - ! ■'.' ./■'. ' '■:■ ■- ■■. '■■■ -• :- ; f,< ( ..EFFECTIVE,VOTING.V , - .Wellington, November 4j;1914i:, V ■.-LCould:'anything be plainer■ than I ;the fact: (1) that Sir Joseph Ward; while professing' to favour Proportional 'Representation (to vplease : ' the:' Labour.Socialists); '(2); defeats the .whole.' pur-: pose of Proportional .Representation byincluding in. his proposal- the continuance of the country quota;(to please,the country ..(people)/' -WhafcVwe: ridiculed was the,.,tr_ansp.arent humbug..: of.-■,■■ this electioneermg dodge, which while : professing ;to give the people Proportional ■ Hepresentatioii." dpes:.nothing ; '. of.':■" the. kind.; ; Sir Joseph Ward might; jiist .as ' well;claim that he; was introducihgPreo Homes for the People' by pro--claiming -that he favoured the people; having free homes on:' condition that they paid the rent. .The.two things, are contradictory, but are quite de- . lightfully typical of the backing and filling "Yes-No methods which characterised' the .Ward 'Government when hi office. Plainly'Sir:'Joseph' Ward-has not changed in this, resp6ot. Asto-th'e ■size of-the'electorates,- it is to be feared that Sir Joseph's methodsihave proved infectious with our correspondent, and that he is .seeking to gain a ; little; niaadlia sympathy-;for.s'his- ; ; leader'.by suggesting that -the ssrha)! -electorates' are designed, in the interests of . the. .poor man; as; against the rich. -Unfortunately for ; his purpose, be lias . overlooked the fact that,it , has been 'demonstrated; beyond all question that'the- big electorates .do..not .favour the;.wealthy, man but' the .po.werful 'organisation; ;as', witness the 'recent elections' for: the Oommonwqiiltu Senate, where the Labour Party-has just triumphed all , along tho ■■line.]..; , . ■■ '■'■;': *•> ■.'■•:■'• •..'"'■ ••.•■■