MAJORITY REPRESENTATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14681, 12 May 1908, Page 6

MAJORITY REPRESENTATION.

After th,c definite promise made by the Premier at Recfton the ether night we shall surely not have to go through another general election under tho present anomalous system of representation . The Cabinet is determined to secure majority representation, hut it is evident that the members are at variance as to the method of reform. Sir Joseph Ward himself has favoured the second ballot, which has always seemed to us la clumsy menus of arriving at tho desired result. Mr M’Nab, on the other hand, must bo faithful to the principle of his own Absolute Majority Bill, and we have little doubt that when the Government comes to consider the two methods, tho Minister of Lands will he able to convert his colleagues to his way of thinking. Tlioro can he no shadow of doubt as to the need for reform. Our electoral system is supposed to give us majority representation, and where thoro are only two candidates to a seat it works well enough. But in constituency after constituency the electors are called upon to make a choice from three, four, five or oven six candidates, with the inevitable result that a verylargo proportion of those elected are minority- representatives. Wo do not urge the reform from a party point of view. The system is had and illogical in itself. The only argument wo have heard advanced in its favour lias no sound basis). By accident it gives a measure of representation to groups of electors who would have noiio under n perfect system of majority representation. But clearly if it is desired to secure tho representation of minorities the. present method of election ought to give place to a scientific system of proportional representation. Tho second ballot is at best only a makeshift. The results arc not always right, and it involves wan unnecessaryprolongation. of the electoral campaign and a'delay- in the announcement of returns. The absolute majority system, on tho other hand, enables the correct result to he obtained at one operation and it is perfectly simple in its application, the elector being required to number tho candidates in tho order in which be prefers thorn. The counting of tho votes, whjjdi concerns only the returning officers, presents no difficulties, and the possibility of error is extremely remote. Tho present system fails to secure the representation of the majority in twenty or thirty- per cent of all elections. Tho absolute majoritysystem might fail in one case out of two hundred, and even that small margin of error might easily be obviated by a different method of compiling the results. By adopting the absolute, majority system in its simplest form wo would render it possible to obtain a perfect system without changing the method of voting and without causing the electors the slightest inconvenience. The Cabinet must consider the question finally at an early date, so that the necessary legislation may be pre- ! son ted to Parliament during tho coming session. So many candidates arc already being announced that wo may expect to find a record number in the field in November, and the Liberals

will lx> simply inviting disaster if they do not take this eleventh hour opportunity of reforming the system of election.