THE PARTY BOGEY.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 March 1925, Page 4

THE PARTY BOGEY.

(To the Editor) Sir, —During his recent tour through the South Island my friend the Minister of Lands said many strange anC startling tilings. Most of them hart slipped from, my memory, but I remember be told his audience at Geraldine that proportional representation wouK largely increase the number of parties in the elected branch of the Legislature, and that for this reason, if foi no other, should be scouted by everyone concerned for the orderly and effective government of the country. Of course this is the old third party bogey in a still more grotesque disguise. AVhnt is the matter with our House of Representatives is not that it has too many parties but that it lias too few. Everyone of the eighty members, seventy-six Europeans and four .Maoris, ought to be a party representing bis constituents, not merely a puppet at the end of a string pulled by a party leader. Probably Air Alel.eoc! is too deeply steeped in its traditions ever to think of throwing off the thraldom of party government, but lie should be capable c;f realising that the present system of vling leaves practically one ball of the people ot New Zealand with no representation of their own choosing in the Parliament that governs them. Of the (113,661 votes polled at the last general election .‘it6,21)0 were cast for successful candidates and 602,671 lor unsuccessful candidates. This means Hint .602,671 electors obtained no direct representntinn at all, and Air .McLeod sa\s it is better they should be without re-

presentation than the traditions of an inequitable, even an inquitous. system

of election should be broken. And Air Ale Lend is a .Minister of the Crown and an aspirant tor the leiuloiship of bis party! I am. etc.. PIP) POl ITT (>X AL R E Pll KSKXT AT lON Wellington, Alarch 23.