PREFERENTIAL VOTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22206, 5 September 1935, Page 13

PREFERENTIAL VOTING

SUPPORT BY DEMOCRATS STATEMENT BY LEADER Approval of the principle of preferential noting was expressed yesterday by Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, leader of the Democrat Party, who said there had been an insistent demand for it. He had always been a believer in that method of voting because it secured in Parliament, by a simple method, representation of the true will of the people. That was the basis of true democracy. Referring to the statement by Mr. C. H. Clinkard, M.P. for Rotorua, that it was not an opportune time to introduce preferential voting, Mr. Hislop said the word "opportune" was indicative of Mr. Clinkard's state of mind and that of others who did not wish to adopt that form of voting. Mr. Clinkard had also said that since the bill was introduced there had been new political alignments which had altered the position. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage, was also opposed to this form of voting, while the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, had appeared to settle the matter by the old cry of "first past the post." The reasons given by Mr. Clinkard for going back on his previously expressed principles, and the statements of Mr. Forbes and Mr. Savage, showed that they did not desire the fullest and truest representation of the people in Parliament, and they were hoping to gain seats on a minority vote, but this' was a vain hope. If they avoided giving the people the fullest opportunity of choice they would, nevertheless, find that the people would reject them.