PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION AT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 60, 11 March 1915, Page 2

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION AT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

(to tUe Editor.) ' i : Sir,—Under an Act passed Jasfc session, which does not seenj to have attracted much public attention, power it borough councils by speejal order tp adopt the single transferable vote system of proportional representation, with, respect to 'all general eleetione of councillors held alter three months from the making of the.order. There is.."«e much to be Baid for thle system in municipal ais in Parliamentary elections, and Jess against it. Some of the objection* most commonly urged, wieldy size of the electoral districts.involved, and the alleged ' ancoHipatibilJty lof the system with party government,* whether they are of any weight or not*in connection with the election■■"of -members' of Parliament, are not applicable to-the election of city councillors. A city of the area to which Auckland has now attained' Would-be a peculiarly euitable field for the" inauguration offthfe reform. -. 'In view of the period of three mon.ths. I nJßed by the Act, it is too late to ask the present City Council; to do anything iiu the matter; but: it is to ire hoped thairJSie candidates at the coming municipal ~ cleptionsVvrill etate their Vievrs on:thie;qßeetion.- While it m the Council who are I empowered make ;tb* alterat tojif unpuke must come the electors. People can iardly be expected io_ chow much spontajie.6ue /enthusiasm ..' for. kicking away thaladder .by which they themselves have climbed up; and .those who have .secured a jseat on an electiv'e'SSdy are naturally predfapoeed to be scepticalae to the possibility tif.any ipprovemenik in a system that hae produced co desirable a result, those Who desire this rrefona would therefore be wise to takW the opportunity pf .the .electione to impret* their •wishee.on the- candidates, and their best to: secure the election of ac many councillors ac possible' pledged to am, etc.-, ' . '.. PJJ.