PARTIES AND POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1927, Page 4

PARTIES AND POLITICS

• Lyttelton Times."j A Labour Government has been heavily defeated 'in South Australia, and in AVestern Australia the Labour Ministry may find itsell without a working majority. The election in Western Australia is of particular interest, because it shows that Labour was more concerned with success at the polls than with obtaining a reflex of the views of the electors. Of the twenty-live seats it has succeeded in winning, no lower than nine oi its nominees were returned unopposed. This tact, in itself could provoke no criticism if the number oi ..lectors in the constituencies in question hole a reasonable relationship to those of other parts el 'the country. Hut the position stands revealed in ail its nakedness when ii is stated that the whole of tlie nine Labour members, who have been returned without having t„ contest an election, will between them represent fewer electors than there are in a Perth suburb, returning me memher. Democratic government lias revealed many inherent and many superimposed weaknesses, hut a form of representation that allows ot such injustice is a grotesque distortion of rovernment by the people. There can lie little wonder that do mauds were made in the last Parliament for the introduction of a Bill Tor he redistribution of seats in Western Australia, hut the Labour leaders realised the danger to their party, and by shelving the question jierpetuatod a political iniquity that is probably witli>ur parallel in any country with representative government. 'I lie.v appear to have played the recent, elections with loaded dice, and have yet to prove they have succeeded in winning, for with lour seats lor the noitliein erritorv not yet, decided and the Opposition numbering twenty-one, their

position is far from secure. Another serious charge levelled against the Labour Government ot Western Australia was that previous to the elect ion they distributed 2000 mad workers throughout the State in rime for registration in the difierent onntry electorates. To find work lor these labourers was altogether admirible, but by a curious coincidence none

was sent in sate Opposition electorates, and by a slid more remarkable coincidence they were distributed in groups ot trom I**lo to udO. which In

nearly cvirv ease represented a greater number than the sitting member's majority in 1021. The manoeuvre was so transparent ill,-it the Government's *n pin nation of these unionists being

•‘sent out quietly and quickly so as not to interfere with the harvesting uid Hie transporting of our harvest" was received with well-deserved contempt and ridicule. It, was also pointed out that it was quite a new departure to commence road works in AA est•i n Australia during the summer, when he conditions are wholly unfavourable, Hid the Opposition did not fail to take lull advantage of the criticism that could he justifiably made ot sm Ii a course. The transfer of party voters to tntluonce an election may he considered : -h'ver tactics, especially as it prevents political death, hut the goldfields nrcket boroughs of AA’esteru Australia, when* nine are equal in voting power to on" other electorate in the State, dmr.ld provide the antiquarian with a subject of undoubted interest.. AA'e were under the impression that such a state of things hail disappeared fully n century ago.