ONE MAN ONE VOTE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 672, 26 October 1933, Page 6

ONE MAN ONE VOTE

E . E ARLE

VAILE.

,Sir, — Had Mr. T. Godfrey Burnham heard any speech he might have fwritten in a different strain — )or refrained from writing. In the first; place let me ®ay that my address completely complied with the Rotarian mjotto "Service Before iSelf." I had nothing to gaini ibiy attacking this popular •fetish; on !the contrary I1 ran the risk of ©etting myself disliked — as often happens to those who boldly proclaim th'e truth. Self-seekers will flatter land bribe and 'generally pander to the allpowerful majority. My only objiect was to render real service to the State. The report of my speech is not , quite aceurate in one or two respects. The third vote I proposed was for householders — ia very different thing, from property holders. And my claim was that any candidate speaking the whole truth had no chance of being returned to Parliament. I was not elected. It ds quite clear that Mir. Burnham ■has not read any of MJiH's writings, or, if he has read them, he has not ' understoodf them. I comimead to him — land all others — the perusal of Mill's great work "On Representative Government." It should give him understanding and save him from puiblishing suc'h discursive and unconvincing stuff. Not that I Iblame him too ■miuch for "One-man-one-vote" has never been defended in writing by anyone of note. It is indefensible. iOf course, M|r. Burnham and those who are satisfied that our present Parliament is representative of the best brains and eharacter in the coiun!try will not seek any change. But I, and many others, consider that Parliament has sunk and is still sinking in public estimiation, and that there is really no one among those the voters have themiselves chosen in whbm they have confidence to lead them ont of their difficulties. Therefore we seek improvement, and I am of opinion that improvement cannot 'be hoped for until the preponderating power is removed from the ignorant and irresponsible and placed in the hands of the instructed and those whose personal interests are bound up with those of the State — in short that quality and not only quantity should be reeognised an the franchise. If Mr. Burnham can suggest ibetter tests than those which I have suggested I shall be glad, but it is certain that if something is not done to strengthen Dem'ocracy by calling t0 its service its best citizens, it will crash in British countries the sam'e as it has done in nearly all others. Lovers of freedom and all that is best and sweet in public life should rally to the rescue of the State. — I

am, etc.,