PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3172, 24 August 1917, Page 6

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

LECTUHE BY MB. G. HOGBEN. At this week's meeting of the Khandal. ■lah Debating Society Mr. G: Hogben, C M.G., delivered a lecture on voting; under the system of proportional representation. Mr. -Hogben commenced by quoting Burke's statement that a legislature should be the express image ul the nation; and also by oiting a smiUar observation by Miraboau, who said that the legislature should be a reduced map of the nation: at. large. He then went on. to show that British legislatures fell far sliort of this ideal, and attributed the failure to the present defective system of election. By well-chosen instances from tie elections of 1874. 1885, and 1806, in the United Kingdom, the lecturer showed how it is possible under the present arrangement of single constituencies for ona party to have a substantial majority o£ electors in the country and yet to.be returned to the legislature,. in a minority He further showed now the .preeent system frequently induced a violent swing of the political pendulum resulting in the displacement of experienced legislators and showed how the same causo effected abrupt reversals of policy, ilr. Hogben also pointed out that the second ballot had failed, and showed how it could easily become the instrument of political iobbcry. as it lad done in certain parts of Prussia. Dealing with the Tasmania* system of proportional representation, which he himself preferred Mr. Hogben showed how it had recently been. trial in the municipal election in Christcnm-ch, with results that were absolutely lair to all parties, but that could not have been obtained under the old method. In concluding a most instructive lecture, Mr. Ilcben showed how proportional repre'sentation alone made it possible for the various parties in the State to be represented in proportion to tneir numbers, and for-even-handed justice to bo done to all sections and classes.