The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1888. Proportional Representation.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2897, 12 May 1888, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1888. Proportional Representation.

The Ministry, it is understood, is about to bring down a measure which, if passed, will revolutionise our representative institutions. For some twenty years or more a philosophical system of electing representatives, known as " Hare's proportional representation," has been praised by reviewers and studied by politicians. Theoretically it is undoubtedly a far fairer method of selecting the best and wisest men in the community as legislators than the crude and antiquated plan now resorted to. The point which is open to doubt is not what it is in theory but how it works in practice. To ascertain this New Zealand would havo to give it a trial, and the Ministry is in favor of tho experiment, Jt is said that a number of the present electoral districts will be grouped together to return a specified number of representatives. For example, the Wellington district under the Hare system might include the Hufcfc, Wairarapa North and Bouth, Porirua, Manawatu, and Eangitikei districts The elector in Masterton, instead of voting for one member, would be required to vote for say ten members from a list of perhaps thirty or forty persons nominated. A weak man in such a large constituency would scarcely rise to the top of the poll, and there would presumably bo a better chance for really good and trustworthy candidates. We would like to see the experiment tried of this system of representation, but we regret to perceive that the Government do not propose to bring down the Bill embodying it as a measure upon which they will stand or fall, but simply as a subject for debate. If Ministers hold strong opinions in fftvov of the

Have system, tlioy ought to put their measure before the House, not as something to be debated, but as something to be carried. There is plenty of backbone in the present Cabinet, and it is a surprise to us to find them bringing down Bills in this milk-and-vatory fashion, asking' the House to pass them if tlioy like them, but giving a pledgo to allow them to b8 kicked out of the House if they are not acceptable, We have faith in Haro's proportional system, but it would bo better for the Ministry to leave it alone unless tlioy are prepared to take the full responsibility of applying it in New Zealand, We trust the present Ministry is not going to degenerate into a Cabinet of fads.