LIFELESS DEBATE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 5 November 1924, Page 5

LIFELESS DEBATE

ELECTORAL REFORM. NO PERFECT SYSTEM. MR. MASSEY’S OPINION. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) _ WELLINGTON, Nov. 4The passage of several Bills in the House of Representatives this afternoon without discussion suggested that the Opposition was awaiting its opportunity ion. the Legislative Amendment Bill. However, to the astonishment of most ,of the members, the Opposition leader did not speak on the second reading. ' Mr. Massey described the Bill as simple and very short, though the Electoral Department deemed it very valuable, as it provided for compulsory enrolment, improved procedure for absent voters’ permits and by-election methods. The committee . stage was quickly reached, when several members urged the Premier to give facilities for invalids to vote.

Mr. McCombs expressed regret at the absence of any provision for proportional representation' The House had, he said, seen what a huge fiasco had resulted in England • through its absence, a Government being elected by an overwhelming majority though it was in a great minority in the country. Mr. Holland spoke favourably of the Bill. What was wrong was what was not in it. Mr. Massey: You\would not have it. Mr. Holland.: You wanted to mix the dose. (Laughter.) He offered to join with the Government in an attempt to introduce proportional representation for ‘ the whole Dominion. \ Mr. Veitch asked the Premier if the < Bill represented the limit of the electoral reform to be provided by the Government before next election* Mr. Sullivan affected to give the Premier a friendly warning that, with the growing vote for Labour, the Government, under the present faulty , system, might not secure its proper representation and might find itself out on the cold, hard pavement; The Premier assured the House that he would have supported his first BUI with, proportional representation for the cities and a preferential vote, for the, country, but there were so many in-* justices about general proportional representation that he could not adopt „ it. ; ' •// . Horn Hanan: What about the preferential vote? • Mr Massey: You will never get a perfect system. I used to think in my innocence that you could, but you dan find fault with any system. He added j that he thought it quite possible there V might be an Electoral.Bill next session, as he could see that several important alterations were needed. Mr. Wilford said he would like to have seen proportional representation in the Bill. He wished .it 'had ~ been possible to move a resolution in favour of proportional representation (a) for the cities and (b) for New Zealand, but such a motion to find out the view of members of the House would he ruled out as appropriation under the Standing Orders. Mr. Massey agreed that the, suggestion from the . Leader of the Opposition was a good one, and he would think it over and, all being, well; would do something next session. No ohjec- \ tion could come if the- motion was moved by the Government. In his ODinion there was not a majority in the House for proportional representation. The Bill was eventually passed.