ELECTORAL REFORM

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 3, 4 July 1922, Page 3

ELECTORAL REFORM

10 IHI EDITOR. Sir, —The progress of more than one great reform has .been thwarted by insincere politicians, and I doubt if a more glaring illustration oould be quoted than the attitude of the present Government towa_ds proportional representation. During his Parliamentary career, Mr._ Massey has repeatedly voted for proportional representation, and historically it has received tho strongest, measure of Parliamentary support from" Eis side of the House. Accordingly, when Mr. Massey's Government came into power definitely pledged to make the Legislative Council elective by proportional _ representation, nobody dreamed of questioning- the sincerity of Ministers, particularly as Sir Francis ' Bell for years previously had been known to advocate the system. Any doubt as to the sincerity of Ministermust have been dispelled when they proceeded with their promised Bill, placed it on the Statute Book, and in addition granted to local bodies the option of adopting proportional representation. In due course, however, the Act making the Legislative Council elective was postponed, not without an emphatic declaration by Sir. Francis Bell that he would resign if the measure were not ultimately passed. Now, however, _ ■ Ministers ■' have definitely _ refuted their own handiwork. • The Legislative Council, tho packing of which during the Liberal regime exercised the most virtuour protestations, has been well packed in turn with _ Government partisans, and it is a. notorious fact, notwithstanding Sir: Francis 'Bell's well-sustained threat ot resignation, that Ministers have agreed to strangle their own. policy measure. To suoh a contemptible position has tho party reduced iteelf which gase tho publio iife of this country such zealous proportionates as Sir Frederick Whitaker, Sir John Hall, and Sir William Russell: I doubt if a moro pitiable production has evor been penned than tho pamphlet reierred to in your issue of Friday last, which reitorates the threadbare fallacies which Mr. Downie Stewart re-echoed from some disgruntled politicians in Australia, and to which Mr. Massey has written a foreword.

After all, it is satisfactory to find that Ministers feel themselves compelled to say something in palliation of their behaviour, lor proportional representation has now reached that stage when its enemies, serve the cause equally with,its friends in promoting discussion. Moreover, it is certain that its betrayal on the part of _ Ministers will entail retribution, indeed it may do so at the ooming election. In the nature of things, the time must come when the present eystem of election—if it can bo called a "system— will prove as embarrassing to the present Government as it.did when its' predecessor had recourse to - tho Second Ballot. What occurred in Dunedin a few days ago is what will yet happen in a sufficient number of constituencies to put: the pre sent Government out of office. It is for this reason that the duty lies upon electors of independent opinion to se:. that the next Government will place proportional representation on ■ the .Statute Book.—l am, etc., P. J. O'REGAN. Ist July. •."•.'