Electoral Reform

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 16, 12 October 1937, Page 3

Electoral Reform

E.

R.

Sir, — This question, which should be in the forefront of tho National Party's policy, does not seem to be receiving the attention its importance demands. The disastrous result of the "first past the post" method has never been better illustrated than in the present House, where the voting strength of the party in power is out of all proportion to the number of votes ca_st for it iu the country. I believe there are somcwhere about 20 Government members eiccUd on a miuonty vol.s. The Waipawa seax h typicaL Allow me to quote the figures; and bear in iniad that our member's vote pledges the whole coiistiluency, although at the election he represented only a fraction of the electors. What his following is now, I surmise, our representa* tive does not like to contemplate. Hero are the figures: Labour 3089, for other candidates 5510. I do not say that, in a straight-out contest, all of these 5510 would have voted against Labour; but the great majority assuredly would. In percentages, the votes for Labour equal 35.92, against 64.08. In other words, Mr Christie on the da y after the election represented 36 out of every 100 voters; and thus the "mandate," so much vaunted by the Socialists, ia made up. An argument much used against electoral reform is that any other method than the present would tend to a multipiicity of parties. I confess I am unable to see the point of this. Ephemeral parties, like the Den>ie, crats, are bound to rise and fade away. We shall probably have another at the next election, the Douglas Credit advocates this time, unless the Socialists adopt their financial views. We cannot and wa have no right to, prevent a group of people from attempting to obtain representation for their views in Parliament. At the same timo, some reform must be enacted to ensure that a member of Parliament does actually represent the majority of the people in his electorate. There are numerous examples in other countries from which to choose. No change can be expected from Labour; its only chance of power lies in a split in its opponents* ranks. I and many others look to the National Party to remedy this serious matter at its first opportunitv. — Yours, etc.,

Lentral Hawke's Bay, Oct. 11, 1937.