GENERAL ELECTION

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 125, 22 November 1935, Page 19

GENERAL ELECTION

VOTE-SPLITTING

GOVERNMENT TO BLAME

INDEPENDENT'S VIEW

"The Government has itself to blame, and has no right to accuse others of vote-splitting when it is doing that itself," declared Mr. W. J. Gaudin, Independent candidate lor Wellington East, in an address to electors at Hataitai last night, when he referred to suggestions that he was assisting vote splitting by entering the election, defended his right to stand as an Independent, and prophesied that the time was coming when there would be more Independents in. Parliament to keep the party system on a more democratic basis, ■

Mr. Gaudin said he was standing because he believed that there was room in Parliament for Independents—men who were not attached to any party, had ideas of their own, and were free to criticise anything brought up in the House. The electors had been told that Independents were no use, but there had been some very fine Inder pendents in Parliament. The time was coming when the services of" Inder pendents would be more and more appreciated.

Independents were not popular with party leaders, who wanted someone who. wguld follow them,,and vote for the party right or wrong, added Mr. Gaudin. Government candidates had been stating that they were indepenr dent, but they wpu.ld find put they were wrong, if they ever got- into Parr liament. The one thing a party leader expected from his team was loyalty, and whatever came forward would have to. be supported by the member, whether he liked it or not.

"I believe the time is coming when there will be more Independents in Parliament to k^ep the party on a more democratic basis," said Mr. Gaudin. The Government had delegated its powers to boards and other groups or bodies, and the country was in danger of losing its rights as a democracy! If it was a democracy, it should retain these rights. Mr. Gaudjn said letters had appeared in some newspapers sufr gesting that he and Mr. W- Duncan should withdraw from the contest and give the Government nominee a clear run. He had great doubts about that, because four years ago there were four candidates in the field, and two agreed to draw out to give the Government candidate an open field, But in a clear run the Government nominee had been defeated:

"The Government is not in such good favour as it was four years ago, and I am convinced that the Government would fail to win a straight-out.. contest," added Mr. Gaudin. "I believe the feeling of the people in this election is for Independents, who do no*, belong'to any particular party, and will vote for the measures that they consider are best for the country,"

Mr, Gaudin referred to the suggestion that he was assisting in vote-split-ting by entering the contest. When he agreed to withdraw four years ago he had stated that he wpuld be a candidate at the next election, The Government knew that, yet they brought in another candidate. "Who is doing the vote splitting? It isn't the Inden pendents," said Mr. Gaudin.

The Government had done the same thing in the Wellington North electorate where they had a candidate who was favourably disposed to them, but had brought in another candidate. It had itself to blame, and had no right to accuse others of vote-splitting when it' was doing that itself. Mr. Gaudin said the Government was, afraid that Labour would get in as a result of vote splitting. The point was that the elec.tors should decide the issue. If they, did not want a man they should put him out. The remedy was in the hands of the Government, which could haye brought down a policy of preferential voting to eliminate vote-splitting an'i allow the electors to chose whom they wanted.

Preferential voting was the most democratic way of choosing members, added Mr, Gaudin. In Parliament there were eighteen members who had been elected on a minority vote. That was not democratic. It was possible by a scientific method of voting to secure .direct representation in Parliament by a majority of the electors,. That was the only way to get fair representation ,in the House of Representatives.