ELECTORAL LAW

Southland Times, Issue 20793, 6 June 1929, Page 6

ELECTORAL LAW

NEW ZEALAND SYSTEM

CHANGE TO PREFERENTIAL

VOTING?

INQUIRY IN AUSTRALIA

(Special to the Times.) Wellington, June 5. In view of the fact that the chief electoral officer of New Zealand, Mr G. G. Hodgkins, is now in Australia inquiring into electoral matters and the operation of the electoral law in the Commonwealth, interest attaches to the question whether the United Government proposes to alter the N cw Zealand electoral system. The Prime Minister, when enunciating the policy of the United Party at last General Election, said, inter alia, that it provided for electoral reform ' to ensure that successful candidates represent an absolute majority by the adoption of preferential voting. Although no hint has since been given in the speeches which he has delivered in various parts of the country as to an intention to amend the electoral system, the visit of the .chief electoral officer to Australia at the direct instigation of the Government is regarded in political circles as significant. In the Commonwealth of Australia the system of preferential voting has been adopted for both Senate and House of Representatives. Tasmania has a system of modified proportional representation, Vic- 1 toria and Western Australia have preferential systems, Queensland has a system of contingent voting and New South Wales, after a trial of proportional representation for several years, has reverted to single seats “first past the post” system, but gives the elector the option of exercising a preferential vote. South Australia retains the system of electing members by a simple majority. As the result, of the visit to Australia of the chief electoral officer a report will in due course be made to the Government, and whether any action will be taken in the coming session will depend upon Cabinet.