REFORM AND REPRESENTATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16493, 7 March 1914, Page 13

REFORM AND REPRESENTATION.

TO THIS EDITOR. Sir, —Speaking recently at Kaiapoi, the Hon Mr Fisher bluntly declared against tho principle of proportional representation for the election of the House of Representatives. , This is not a little surprising in the light of what has gone before, hut Mr Fisher's reasons for his profession of faith are more surprising still. -The Minister declared against proportional representation. so he said, because it implied the abolition of the country quota. , True, that objection, lie went, on, did riot apply to the principle if it were limited to the four cities, but, oven the to proportional representation would not get rid of party.' The cat is-now fairly out of tho bag. The Government having secured the repeal of tho Second Ballot, now rely on the prevailing order of things to maintain themselves in. office, even, on a minority .vote. There would be nothing surprising in all tins if it wore the policy of any other party, but, having regard to tho professions of our “ Roionn ’ friends, their conduct is beneath contempt. I write as one who will never become a mere ‘brick in any - party wall, and as one who honestly expected the present Government to do something effective, towards the realisation of a rational system of representation. As for the reasons given by Mr Fisher, permit me to assure him that advocates of proportional representation have never claimed for it than it will do away with warty. TV edo say that it wilEsecure the adequate representation of all shades of opinion and hence that it will secure what the present system does not—a really effective sy-stern of popular government. As for the country quota proportionalists heartily desire its abolition, and it would lie interesting to know mi what principle it can he defended. Like the system of plural voting, which the democracy of this country has happily placed under foot, it bs a legacy we inherit from the New Zealand Company. So little is said of this coiuitry quota that few people tee aware even of its existence, but it is certain that within the next few y rn'S Radicals must combine to arouse pnlic opinion on the matter. The country quota means that rural constituencies are so apportioned thfi-t each 1$ assigned 2S per cent of voters who do not exist. In other words eyery country representative has lor constituents' nearly one-third of fictitious persons. Thus, there are seventy-six electoral districts ill New Zealand, omitting the Maori electorates. On a population basis each district should contain about 14.500 people. As a result.of. the country quota,_ however, the city doctorates comp,'rise about 15,000 people, while the country electorates average 12,000. That is to say, 12,000 people in the country have the same influence in Parliament as 15.000 people in a city district. it is to maintain this scandalous state or things that, according to ih fishery Ministers have jettisoned proportional representation. . This, however, is by no means all. The proportional representation movement in this country already has a- history, and, historically speaking, it the partv to which Mr Fisher has elected to ally himself, that should have, the strongest predilections in layout - of vris great and fundamental reform. Ino question was first raised in this country in 1878. when a Bill was introduced by the late Sir Frederick Whitaker. A second attempt was luado bv the Atkinson Ministry >n 1889, 'Since then a Proportional Representation Bill was introduced by private miembers in 1890, 1898, 1899 and 1914 and hero are the names of some of the gentlemen who have voted tor toe second reading Messrs Massey, JAllen, W. Fraser, nernes. H. I). 801 l and Dnthie, that is to say, five of the Ministers who have now publicly .denounced proportjional rep resell In burn. Mr Fisher certainly has not voted on tho question, for the simple reason teat no Bill has been before the House since liis election as a representative. But when wo formed a Proportional Representation Society in this city m July, 1912, Mr Fisher sent a most encourag-im'-"letter, and actually became a vicepresident of the Society!—l am reminded of tho Lost Leader, of whom Browning wrote: — Just for a handful of silver be loft us, J ÜBt for a ribbon to stick in his coat.

1 “> clc " V. J. OTHWJK Wellington, Alareh 6.