FIRST PAST THE POST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 26, 20 June 1914, Page 5

FIRST PAST THE POST.

"THE FAIREST AND BEST." By Telegraph—Press Association. .. • ■ Balclutha, Last Kiglit. Ml A. 8. Malcolm, M.P. for Clufcha, addressed a fill hall at Owaka, near Balchrtha, last night. He dealt with the renewal of the Government policv. Speaking of representation, he said that the question of representation had been before the House last session, and would probably be before it. this session. "•He had, always thought that the "first past ,tfcs post/' sy.tem was the fairer and better, and wa' generally followed, ft.was claimed that . candidate should /be returned only on r.c vote of the majority, but there oft.v : was not a majority in favor of any crs candidate, and that was an essential fact that was eonatantly overlooked. There was much confused thinking on the .subject, and Often'" able journalists believed that by «*** jha&y-pa.nky tricks ns the second oj the preferential vote, tbcv could "create & majority. Majorities so created were purely artificial, and so in the best sense of the word were not majorities at all. In most electorates political opinion was divided into more ■than two camps, andi that any one of these camps slould 'have a majority as against the other two or more was unlikely. # So, in the case of three voters. A, B, and CHReform, Liberal and Labor, respectively—;t might happen that none of thttn got a majority. If the second' ballo\astem were used, what happened in was that the voter for C gave- his first vote for the man who represented his ideas. At Me second Ikillot he found that while he did not like B he ihated A, so he voted for B. But it was really not a preference vote, but an antipathy vote, given not to put B in but to keep A out. But if B yere elected he would really represent only those who gave him their first vote, that is, a minority. The speaker opposed the second ballot and the preferential vote. While much was to be said for proportional representation, yet he did not think it wou.d suit New Zealand. It would do away with the country quota and, moreover, New Zealand would probably be divided into two great electorates, North and South, ami with the abolition of single electorates no elector would have a member. At the conclusion, the speaker was unanimously accorded a vote of thanks and confidence in him aud the present Government.