Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5th, 1912. PREFERENTIAL VOTING.

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 June 1912, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE sth, 1912. PREFERENTIAL VOTING.

It seenils tolerably certain that which ever party secures the reins of office we shalf have a measure of electoral reform cturing the coining session. The Mackenzie Cabinet has definitely committed itself to abolish the second ballot and instal preferential voting in it This bill, which has already been drafted, will be submitted to the House immediately on Parliament assembling, so that the; nature of its provisions will be known before the no-confidence motion is moved by Mr. Massey. IP the Bill is passed into law. the voter wiTI in future have an opportunity of Vecording . his vote on a system of preference, that is to say, he will indicate foy the numbers 1,2, 3, 4 and so on thc\ order of Ids preference for the different candidates, and the quota necessary to secure an actual majority of votjes will then be calculated. This cab'nlation will be arrived at by ascertaining in the first place-the number of first preference votes for each candidate.,' If no candidate receives an actua/i majority of the votes cast mi the first count, the man at the bottom of the poll will be declared a defeated candidate /and Ids perferences will then he addled on to the undefeated candidates, amt this process will be repealed until <me or the other of the candidates sscnVes an actual majority, whereupon lie will he declared elected. As an alternative to this system, proportional representation had been sn-;-gosfed. lion. (I. W. Russell, Minister of Infernal AffaKrs, : s opposed to this proposition. f “My personal expevi-

ence, ” he remarked to an Auckland re-, porter on Monday-lust, “is that ,in a proportional representative scheme, an essential element ’of which Was that constituencies should -be grouped, in, say,*'numbers of six, there would lie little or no chance to secure a majority for any one of the parties that held prominent places in the politics 'of the country. .It may he quite true that there would be an opportunity of Securing the representation of minorities, but I think the experience of New Zealand during the last six months is hardly calculated to induce the country to embark on a plan by which it may be possible for half a 'dozen small coteries of representatives to hold the balance cf power and throw their weight from one side to.the other as against the two big parties that are bound to exist in every civilised or autonomous country. The politics of any country are divided into two sections, and under whatever denomination or label they, may exist they are the progressives! on the one hand and the Conservatives on the other. The bringing in of side issues and small coteries into the 'politics of the country, which would follow an attempt to secure the representation of minorities, would, -n my opinion, prevent the main issue of politics from being clearly and accurately represented in the Parliament ot the country.” In elaborating his argument in favor of preferential votin'’’, the Minister said that assuming that at the next general election there will be three large parties cateiing for the votes of the electors Liberal, Labour and Conservative—the average elector when recording his first vote will, under the preferential system, doubtless select on broad principles where he wishes that vote to be cast in the first place, say, for Liberalism, and in the second place for Labour 01 for Consei—a t m. This, as the Minister rightly pointed out, would give a much clearer and better indication of the genuine opinion of the country as to the respective preferences between parties than was possible in, the heated state of mind created last flection be tween the first and second ballots.

Get in at the big sale to-morrow.- Its a sure money-saver. Sheetings, towels and quilts will be sold next to cost. Mis Wise’s, Mackav Street.— Advt. We have just op-ncd up a lot of boy*, warm tweed overcoats. These are all m nice dark shades of tweed and will ie just the thing for present wear. The prices are extremely moderate, 13/6_ and 17/6 each, at W. McKay and Sons, Drapers.—Advt. . , Mails, ex-Arahura, will arrive per. Licetton train this evening. . Visit Trathen and Co.’s giving-up husiness sale— bargains on all connters-renin-ants and oddments at half cost. Advt. Just arrived from Christchurch— groper, flounders, ling, tevakohe, smoked haddocks, at Salt’s Cafe, in Mackav Street.— Advt. . ~ Vt Trathen and Co.’s great sale ladies ■tweed coats 6/11, 8/11, 9/11, also cravenetts waterproofs 12/6, and 14/6, all under cost price.—Advt. Mails, for the United Kingdom, via Naples, despatched from- Wellington on April 26th, arrived in London on the afternoon of the 2nd inst. At Trathen and CoCs I’etiral sale marvellous values in tweed costumes, 14/6, 17/6, 19/6, 25/-, wire 45/- to 60/-. A real snip in linnenne costumes, coat and shut. 6 li, and 8/11. formerly 27/6 each.— Advt. The directors of the New Big River Company declared a dividend yestei day of one shilling per share, equal to £I2OO, payable on and after Friday, June 7. the death occurred at Blackball this morning of a well-known and popular tesident in the person of Thomas Robert son,, who had been ailing for the past eight months. The deceased, who had only been in the Dominion for two and a-lialf years, was a native of Scotland, where he was born fifty years ago. He leaves a widow and live sons and two daughters to mourn their loss. The sympathy of a wide circle of friends will be extended to them. The mine manager of the Just-in-Time mine reports as follows; —“During the week the eastern cross-cut from No. 3 level south has been extended sft. The ground has been hard but is now getting softer. The north drive from No. 3 level has been extended 7 feet. The face carries boulders of quartz. The contractors have extended No. 3 level south 15 feet. There is a wide track in the face-’* Several enterprising ferrymen are reaping a good harvest at the Lagoon just now Unfortunately some of the boats used hardly come up to the Board of Trade requirements, and as the ferrymen are plying for hire, they come under the jurisdiction of the Collector of Customs, who will be forced to take proceedings unless pioper boats are used and the ferrymen register.

There are to-day many articles of food offered to the'public palate and to ensure a large sale the proprietors often offer tempting prizes: pianos, suites of funntlre. etc., to those who eat or drink—or really purchase-the greatest quantity. It is easy to understand that full value and large prizes are not likely to accompany one another. An article of genuine intrinsic value has come under our notice which is retailed solely on its merits—without prize inducements. This is “Coolie” Brand Cocoa; a cocoa of unsurpassed quality, which is packed in handsome embossed canisters, themselves a pride, and delight in the home. —Advt. The West Coast red pine timber trade is still very dull and only a few orders are coming along. The arrival of a cargo of Oregon limber at Lyttelton last week wilt not help to improve matters. The money market is also tight and in consequence there is no speculative building going on. Australia is taking a small proportion of red pine, but thy quality they want leaves the miller with nearly sixty per cent- of the log on his hands, as the Australian merchants do not take any 0.8 sizes; only dressing timber. The white pine trade is still very good and is at present tile mainstay of the West Coast trade. No really definite reason has been advanced for the present state of the New Zealand trade, which, however, .seems to be duo. in a large measure, to a combination of circumstances than to any one reason in particular.

On Monday afternoon last Mrs David Duncan, having a few' good things leftover from the entertainment at Ikamatua, decided to give the school children, a little treat. Miss Lewis, their teacher, was kindness itself, and seemed quite pleased to see her pupils enjoying themselves. The afternoon being wet. the children were entertained inside*. Seated before a glorious tire, with their cups of hot. tea. cakes, etc., it. is needless to say that they presented the picture, of happiness. The eatables were portioned out so that each child present received the same amount, each girl received a certain amount of lollies.. The boys, on being questioned by their teacher as to which they would prefer, the lollies in hand or a scramble, naturally boy-like, preferred the latter, which they enjoyed to the full. We arc informed by Mrs Duncan that it gave her great pleasure to watch the children whose behaviour was all that could he desired. They treated herself and teacher with marked respect, and as they passed out of school in single' file, each child thanked Mrs Duncan for her kindness. , This speaks well for Miss A. Wewis’s training and discipline, especially as Mrs Duncan has been in some of the higher schools in Melbourne.

Tonking’s Linseed Emulsion positively knocks out colds. Just try a bottle. 1/6, 2/6, 4/6, everywhere.-—Adyt. Coughs. Colds and Group cured by Tonking’s Linseed Emulsion. 1/6. 2/6, 4/6 per hotle at all Chemists and Stores.---A H vt.

A gig antic midwinter sale will commence at Mrs C. Wise’s , Mackay street, on Thursday next, June 6th, when all hues in seasonable goods will he sold at next to cost.—Advt,

J , j The Pactolus dredge returned 360z*.2dwts. for 136 hours’ work. 1 Cut prices in blouses, in silks, radiantas, flannels and delaines,., at the mid-winter sale, starting to-morrow at Mrs Wise’s, Mackay street.—Advt. • A'milk-supplier to the Murchison factory has averaged monthly’ from 102 | rows in profit, £lO2, or at the rate oi ! £1 per head. j The Westport Waterside Workers’ Union, at a meeting last evening endorsed the action of the Federation of Labour in regard to the Waihi and Reefton, and made a levy at 10 per cent; It also granted £24 to the strike funds. Here’s a good chance for you—not only to prove how true our advertising is but also how good our 19/6 dress lengths are, they’ are .all wool tweeds and serges, and. the original price of them was 27/6. WMcKay and Son, Drapers.—Advt'. The annual meeting of the Westland Licensing Bench as held at Hokitika yesterday, when there were present: —Messrs W. Wilson, S.M. (Chairman), T. J. McOuigaii. A .W. Bock, R. Larken, J. Peake and J, Flynn. Four applications for hotel licenses at Waiuta were refused, the Bench having no jurisdiction. All the other applications were granted, except those of Charles Lloyd (Young’s Hotel, Totara Flat), William Fletcher (Grey Valiev Hotel, Nelson Creek) and tern is Hahn" (Paroa Hotel) which were adjourned to the 28th inst.

You will save money' by purchasing skirts, costumes, and tweed coats at the gigantic sale commencing to-morrow morning at Mi’s C. Wise’s, where every line will he marked down to prices that must command a sale.—Advt. A quarter-acre of land in the heart of Murchison has just been purchased as n, site for a Bank. It is understood that the purchase price was £3OO. The Runanga” Gymnasium Club has appointed Dr. Alphonso D. Granitza instructor to the Club. As this gentleman has a wide knowledge of gymnastics, theoretic and practical, much good may result Thci Club hopes to be in practical work in another week’s time. *„> In' the by-election at Werriwa- to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr Hall Mr Bennett, the’ Labour Candidate, is leading. A feature of the election is that it is the first contest under the new Electoral Act which prevents comments in the newspapers, except over a signature.

At Trathen and Co.’s great sale—ladies’ white robes 6/11. 8/11, 10/11. Underskirts from 1/11. All genuine bargains.—Advt, It is our sad duty to record the dcqth of James Fitzgerald, aged two years, son of Mr and Mrs James Fitzgerald, of Wainihinihi. The little fellow who had only been a short time iIL passed away last night We extend our sincere sympathy to Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald in their great levs. • The weekly report from the St. George mine is as follows: —‘i'or the week the western cross-cut has been extended 17tt, making a total of 181 .feet. We have not yet cut the line of reef, but from present appearances, it should be close at hand. The face to-day is giving olf a lot of water.” . Trathen .and Co. have lust received an indent order, late to hand, they comprise our well known cream radiantas, navy serges, and dress tweeds. We h,ave marked these all very low to effect a qyick sale.—Advt. Our Reefton correspondent informs us that there are no fresh developments in regard to the mining dispute. Mr P. JO’Regan, the Union’s solicitor, arrived from Wellington by the overland route this morning. The case is set down for hearing to-morrow, but it is understood that the Company will apply for an adjournment for a month to enable evidence to be taken 'at Waihi. At a meeting of the Federation of Labour, held at Wellington to-day, a ballot resulted.in the election of the following as a. national executiev :—Messrs J. Dowgray (Granity mines),'E. J. Howard (Canterbury Labourers),' H.’ Armstrong (West Coast workers), M. Fagan (Inangahua mines), P. Fraser (Auckland General Labourers) and R. Kidd (Otago Miners). The principle of a minimum wage of ten shillings per day for unskilled labour with 44-hour week was adopted. (

One of the special features at the meeting of the Westland Licensing Committee at Hokitika yesterday (according to the Guardian) was four applications for a new publican’s license at Waiuta. There was ii full bar engaged, but the Committee had not received authority from the Govprnor-invCouncil to deal with the applications. Petitions had been returned without obtaining approval of an order-in-Council authorising the hearing of the applications. There was a short argument on one application, where a petition had been sent up to Wellington, but had not yet been presented, hut the Committee unanimously decided to treat all applicants alike and their applications were all

refused. The death occurred at Palmerston North on Monday, June 3rd, of an old and respected resident of the West Coast in the ■person of Mrs Johanna Darcy, late of Blackball. Deceased for the past few months had been residing at her son s residence, Palmerston North, but in the early days of the West Coast was a settler of Red jacks, No Town, for many years. Two sons and three daughters survive her. The daughters are :—MrsR. Larkin of Nelson Creek. Mrs M. Dornan of Blackball, and Mrs ;F. Poynton of Auckland. The sons are—John, of Gippsland, Victoria, and Alfred of Palmerston North, To them will he extended the sincere sympathy of their many friends in the death of their mother.