PARTIES AND THE ELECTOR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 79, 3 April 1943, Page 4

PARTIES AND THE ELECTOR

•THIS is "election year," and the sophisticated citizen expects that in * the months before polling day there will be a variety of political manoeuvres designed to put some party or person in an advantageous position from which to woo the electors. There will also be—there are already—reports and rumours of the formation of new political parties or groups, and announcements of their intention to nominate candidates. Between such announcements and the actual nominations there is of course a gap, which often is never bridged. These partyforming activities frequently have the character of political explorations, designed to ascertain how much support is likely to be forthcoming, and also to influence existing parties to alter or modify their policies. If it were not so—if every group which announced its intention to nominate candidates actually did so—electors on polling day would face a confusing situation, which, under the first-past-the-post voting system, might easily result in a frustration of their wishes. It is for the electors to make certain, in advance, that no such situation arises. The power to do so is in their hands. Activity in forming new parties may arise from existing parties' policies, and from the failure who me dis satisfied to persuade existing parties to comply with their aemanas it may also arise from personal ambitions For the elector the vital question is whether the policy put forward by the newcomer-is in fart so different from any existing party's policy that the two can never beßeconciled Very seldom is that the case; very often the Sff£en~ ifS superficial than real But a<gigf for the elector is the comparative quality of individual candjdates lie fnr ?hp) mav desire to support the newcomer less for the onginaiity or h£ S po e iLy a 4an S fm- his character and ability which may be «genor to the candidates offered by the existing parties. Mr. R M Algie, in an interesting and constructive address this week, pointed out the prinleimportlnce of securing the election to the House of Representatives this year the best men available in the community. He pointed ouf too that the quality of the candidates elected is determined by the quaUty of the candidates selected. If the people m a constituency have to choose between candidates all of poor or mediocre quality then the only certainty is that their M.P. will be of the same quality It is in this matter of the quality of candidates officially endorsed that the existing parties incur most.severe criticism. For this the parties are to blame, but so are their supporters. Only a small percentage of party supporters retain any active interest in party organisation and activities between elections. The majority have to be coaxed to attend meetings, at which it may appear to them that decisions are cut and dried" Again the remedy lies in their own hands. If a great number of former supporters of the Labour party, or of the National party, are sufficiently dissatisfied with the party's policy, organisation or choice of candidates, they can alter all of them. If they do not bestir themselves to do so, then on polling day they may be disgruntled, and on the next day they may feel disillusioned and frustrated. If so, they will have themselves to blame. It is within the electors' power, as Mr. Algie pointed out, to determine not only which of several aspiring candidates shall be nominated, but also that he shall be one, whose capacity commands their respect. This could be done, as he suggested, by the party members in each electorate establishing a fund for the purpose of augmenting their member's salary during his term of office. Are the electors so interested in the quality of the House of Representatives that they might be' persuaded to do this? Only experience could show. People band themselves together in a great variety of associations — sporting, social, cultural —all of which make calls upon their purses. They respond sufficiently well, in some instances, to enable the payment of salaries to secretaries and other officials. Is their member of Parliament of less importance to them than these? Obviously he should be of far greater importance. But it is for the people to decide. Good government is not to be ensured by a simple action in a polling booth once every three years; it demands perennial and active interest, and some sacrifice, but a sacrifice which is negligible by comparison with the benefits which would flow from it. .. v