"IN A DILEMMA"

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 153, 2 July 1914, Page 5

"IN A DILEMMA"

GOVERNMENT AND ELECTORAL

MATTERS

The Government has found itself in a pretty dilemma over electoral matters (says the N.Z. Times). It has been hinted very hard during the recess that in p] ace of the second ballot. which was repealed : last session, the Government intended to group the. city v electorate® and so .introduce proportional representation. The intention apparently was to leave the country seats under the "first-past-the-post" system, but now Cabinet, after protracted consideration puzzle-solving, has had to try to find another arrangement. It is openly, asserted in the lobbies that Mr Fisher and Mr Herdman are at variance on the subject, and that the Government has not been able yet to conve to J-ny satisfactory arrangement iit the matter. Since the country Members have assembled, it has heen easy to see that they are absolutely averse to any system being adopted which means an arrangement for the cities different from thai which might be used in the country. Country representatives on both sides are very definite in their objection on this point. The question at once arises—What is the Government going to do? Such secrecy is being observed by the Ministers, even to members of their OW7I party, that it is the general opinion that Cabinet has not yet been able to find a solution with which, to pacify all, in an announcement now. On Monday, however, it leaked out that the objections of the country Members to any dual system have proved so strong that a bluff is likely to be used during the session for the 'Government to keep faith with the people of the Dominion in connection Avith its platform pledges. "Reform" is pledged to repeal the second ballot and to replace it with a bettor system. It will keep its pledge—^-in a way—by introducing a measuro containing a proposal to group the city electorates, with the applicatio7i of the preferential vote, but this measure will be "killed" by the objecting country Members. The "killing, 5' of course, will be a matter of pre-arrangement between the Government and its country adherents.

Apparently the attitude of the Opposition on the question is being ignored by the Government. The matter of pleasing the House is at best a most complex one, and when the subject comes- ]rp, it is certain to create one of the biggest party battles of the session.