The Feilding Star. MONDAY, SEPT. 18, 1893. A SUGGESTION.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 68, 18 September 1893, Page 2

The Feilding Star. MONDAY, SEPT. 18, 1893. A SUGGESTION.

Now that tho General Election ia almost within measurable distance, aud while the present members of tho House hold positions as tho people's representatives, it will not bo out of plueo for us to write a fow words on the subject of future candidates. | Hitherto it has been the custom for candidates to select tho electoral districts they would like to represent, or rather the electorates where they think the possibility of their electiou is the strongest. Of course ihere havo been exceptions to this rule, whore men of well-known ability and standing hare been invited by requisitions, sigued by electors, to become candidates, and generally these have been returned. We would like this mode to obtain a little more thau it does, although we are perfectly aware that tho requisition scheme is just as likely to be overdone as any other. What we would really like to see is the electors taking more personal interest in the choice of candidates. Under the existing electoral laws the electors can only vote for while, in our opinioa, the electors should have the power to vote aijainst a candidate. By having that power in their hands, undesirable representatives would often be kept put of the House. It is notorious that large numbers of electors do not record their votes at all on polling day for the simple but sufficient reason that they do not approve of any of the candidates. We feel assured that if thes«? people were permitted to vote mjaimt certain candidates, they would avail themselves of the privilege. It seems absurd on the face of it that one must either vote for a candidate or not at all. Supposing this plan were adopted it would, of course, be necessary to declare how many negative votes put one or more candidates out of the running, and how many affirmative votes elected others. By this means the unfortunate minority would receive more protection, and certainly more consideration than they do at present. We are quite aware that it would be a great factor in revolutionising the present electoral laws, but with the female franchise everything in that direction has now been made possible.