"SALE OF SEATS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 126, 31 May 1939, Page 20

"SALE OF SEATS."

BRITISH CONSERVATIVES. BATTLE AGAINST PRACTICE. LONDON. The battle against the "sale" of Conservative party seats in the House of Commons has been taken up by the Oxford University Conservative Association with the passage of a resolution demanding an end to the "excessive financial demands on prospective candidates." This action carries much more weight here than a similar move bv an undergraduate body in the United States, for the reason that the university students will one day be the leaders of the party and members of Parliament themselves. Under the present system it is almost impossible for a member ot the "working class"' to become a Conservative candidate for Parliament since it is necessary for candidates to advance large sums of money before they get the party's backing. The result is that the members of Mr. Chamberlain's Government are nearly all university men of independent means. Just how true this is is indicated by the recent statement of a Conservative party leader that he would like to see at least 2.3 per cent of the Conservative members drawn from the working classes. Proposals to stop the sale of Parliamentary seats to the highest bidder are to be made to the Prime Minister and Conservative party leaders as the result of charges by a prospective candidate who says candidates may be divided into three classes: Those willing to pay all their election expenses, ranging from £400 to £1200., plus an annual contribution of £500 to £1000 to the local party association. These have an excellent chance of receiving the party's endorsement and winning the election. (Parliamentary salary is £000 a year.) Those willing to pay half their election expenses and kick into the party to the extent of £200 to £400 yearlv. these have less chance of election. 1 hose unable to pay their election expenses and able to contribute only about £100 a year. Those, which would include the working class." have little or no i liance of winning a Parliamentary seat. Driven to Opposition. I

Art the result of these financial re- \ quirements, capable men who wish to enter politics are frequently driven into the camps of opposition parties, it is charged. At a recent conference of the Federation of University Conservative and unionist Associations, it was asked if the Conservative party could be called truly democratic when the majority of its representatives in Parliament were chosen not so much for their ability as for their wealth. Other undergraduate groups also have taken up the fight against the sale of seat*. The University of London Conservative Association adopted a resolution condemning the practice and urging that candidates be chosen for their fitness and efficiency rather than for I their willingness to pay for the cost of i elections. • > Divisional associations of the Conservative part*-, similar to county politi- I cal organisations in the United' States I enjoy complete local autonomy. Thev select their own candidates and finance I the campaigns, raisin? the necessary funds by i levy on the" candidates. It I » tins feature of the system which ' gives the advantage to men of wealth ; , a,so a, "° expected to finance the 1 local association while they are in 1