A LIMITED CHOICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 10 April 1928, Page 4

A LIMITED CHOICE

IN. commenting upon the official announcement that, all sitting members of Parliament who have previously been pledged to the Peform Parly will carry the Peform banner at the coming General Election, the "New Zealand Herald" expresses some opinions that will receive wide endorsement. It is pointed out that the declaration referred to is not a novel one in political organisation, nor is it confined to the Peform Party. It may be convenient, for party managers and gratifying to party nominees, bill "the custom is objectionable because il denies to electors the right to seleel their i epres.-ntat ives." However incompetent or mediocre a member may have shown himself lo be he is given the parly's official imprimatur. As our contemporary remarks, the custom virtually makes loyally to party pledges the only qualification for election lo Parliament, or at leas! implies tliat a candidate who has once passed the test of Ihe poll should not be subjected to review of his capacity for Parliamentary duties. It makes no discrimination among the retiring members of the party: ignores the possibility that, some of them may not have justified the electors' first impressions of them and refuses to the electors any opportunity to 'select a candidate for the party norninalion with higher ipialilications. This wholesale pledging of support means, in f ;l ,.|. that in many cases adherents rf the parly must either vote for a candidate whom they do not approve, or. if i hey support an independent candidate, risk the loss of the seal.

Many will agree i hat il is the indiscriminate endorsement of retiring tneml„.is and the present system oT election. which mal.es such i ndoiseincnl efl'eiTlve. ,| i: ,t ;,,,. responsible for the persistent diucriiv of the Parliamentary personnel, r.-.r the paucity of men fitted for Ministerial raid;, and lor the unwillingness of citizens of greater ability to (•!■ fer their services. The "Herald" SUgnvfjis thai some improvement might he. made hv allowing each electorate to se|t.,.| ,|,,.' candidate lor the party's nomination, bill a mere effective reform v ,,„i|,l |„- the adoption of a method of election thai would enal.le the whole electorate lo exercise a disci animating choice. fuming as it does from a supporter of the Peform Party-all hough ~, [jllies ; , frank critic- the concluding portion of our contemporary's comment i s of special significance: ""No one contemplating the undistinguished records

of many members of the present Par liamwif. '".-in doubt the need for- genuine reform that would enable the electors lo dismiss those, who have failed to prove llioir competency for Parliamentary duties." The criticism, however, is applicable to all the present parties. The House of Representatives as at present constituted cannot be said to have earn ed worthy distinction. We have no doubt thai- belter material is available, bin unfortunately, the country's choice is being limited.