Shop Assistants' Ballot

Northern Advocate, 23 July 1938, Page 9

Shop Assistants' Ballot

The Auckland Amalgamated Society of Shop Assistants Industrial Union of Workers has circulated the following ballot -paper among its members; — BALLOT PAPER Are you in favour of this union affiliating with N.Z. Labour Party? If you are, strike out the word NO. If you are not, strike out the word YES. All badot papers must be returned on or before July 27. Note; You are NOT required to pay postage on ballot paper return. Postage paid. There will probably be general agreement with a correspondent who has written as follows reg-.rdmg the ballot paper:— I, personally, am quite opposed to such affiliation, and on looking at my ballot paper I would at once feel inclined to strike out the word “Yes,” and to leave the word “No”- as my vote on this question. If, however, I looked at the ballot paper a second time, I would discover that I had fallen into a trap, because by leaving the word “No” plainly visible on the ballot paper I would discover that I had actually supported the movement for affiliation. It would be difficult to imagine a more astute document than this, and it would be hard to draw one which would so completely confuse the issue. I would submit that if those responsible wanted a clear-cut expression of opinion they could have worded their ballot paper as follows: I am in favour of affiliation. I am opposed to affiliation. Strike out the sentence you do not wish to vote for. On my ballot paper there is no definite mark of identification, no number, and no provision for signature, which suggests itself to me that such a method of taking votes is not only confusing, but liable to abuse.