N.S.W. ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1922, Page 4

N.S.W. ELECTIONS

MANY CANDIDATES STANDING

SYDNEY, March 9

Many brands of politics are represented by tiie 208 candidates nominated | for the twenty seats at the New South Wales elections, which are to be held on March 25th. It is unlikely that anti-Labour votes will be wasted on the innumerable “democratic” and “ independent ” candidates, and the Coalition Party will present a solid front against Labour in the nine metropolitan constituencies, each of which returns five members. To this extent, therefore, the vote will test the strength of the forces supporting the Dooley-McGirr combination. The position in the country is not so favourable for the anti-Labour forces. Each | of the 15 country electorates returns three candidates, and because of differ-! cnees in the anti-Labour ranks, loali-j tion candidates will be opposed in every instance by Progressive*, as well as by Labour nominees. There is not much doubt that the block vote, or party ticket plumping will predominate. The proportional representation system demands the preferential numbering of the candidates by the electors in order of preference. Advocates of the system declared that the failure of its first trial of 50 pei cent, of the electors to vote was caused by their being required to number every candidate on the ballot papei. The Act was amended so that now electors may vote for their party candidates only. Proportional voting is disliked by all, but Labour will stick to it because of the fact that it gives its candidates the advantage of being refill i red to win only a proportion of the total, and not a majority. The principal trouble is likely to arise amouj? the squads sent into battle by the different parties. Each candidate wants No. 1 opposite his name on the ballot paper. (Saining that lead, the transfers that follow are all his gain. Endless wrangling, as at the last elections, is expected, and much political throat-cutting is likely in the struggle for the prize of CH7S a year. The campaigning has been distinguished so far by the remarkable efforts being made by the Government to gain points. The Opposition tells the people that they are on the road to ruin and bankruptcy under Labour, quoting what appears to the ordinary man as almost unanswerable figuies; but the Labour Treasurer replies by stating that they are on the high road to prosperity. The Premier. tM' - Dooley) has been described as being m a condition of political delirium, because of the prodigality of his promises. If he wins it will mean a mud time ahead in compromising with his supporters to whqm.lu* is promising so much. . ....... ,