PROPORTIONAT REPRESENTATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 14 November 1922, Page 7

PROPORTIONAT REPRESENTATION

iTc Ike Editor) Sir.—Mr A. V. Aliport's contribution on the subject of Proportional Representation has no other value than that of misleading electors during an elecilon contest. The system which he now condemns and which has been in operation in Tasmania and other Australian States as well as in other countries Inis been proved to be satisfactory in securing the fair representation of different groups or schools of political thought in proportion to their voting strength; and it would he interesting to know why the enlightened Reform Parly in professedly giving effect to their desire to reform the Legislative Council [Hit on the Statute Book an act, whereby the Council was to he made elective, the system of election (o he (lie proportional and the first election to be held in 1917. The Act, I lowevcr, is now a dead letter because it suits Hie purposes and aspirations of the Reform parly to have it so. While a member of the City Council in 1915-16, at the request of the ■ Council, 1, together with the late Cr. rlarnpson, who was a Reform supporter and a strong supporter of the proportional system of represents! ion, gave a public demonstration of tho. Vorking oi it. We were ably assisted in this by Mrs C. Graham, who had also given a demonstration of (its effectiveness before an assemblage of the W.C.T.P. Mr T. 11. Field, then Reform M.P., was present at the Council demonstration and acted as a, poll clerk, and afterwards expressed his appreciation, not only at the opportunity to lake pari, but also his satisfaction that it was an effective system. For the ! information of Mr Allport and other electors, 1 may say that it has the support of many alilc educationists and leading public men in Britain. It would require too much of your space, Mr Editor, to explain the system in sufficient detail to make it understandable by all, so I will not attempt it, but writing as an elector whose politics are not being represented by either candidate in this contest, I can give my assurance that the proportional system of election is fair, effective, just- and equitable, f am, etc., IV. J. MOFFATT.