COUNTRY QUOTA DISCUSSED

Southland Times, Issue 25502, 24 October 1944, Page 4

COUNTRY QUOTA DISCUSSED

MR DOIDGE’S WARNING TO FARMERS

“A week ago Labour members of Parliament assembled in caucus for three days on end. I believe lam correct in saying that one of the most important matters discussed was the Government’s intention -to abolish the country quota,” said Mr F. W. Doidge, M.P., when addressing a public meeting at Kennington last night in support of Mr G. Herron, the National Party candidate for Awarua.

“At the last general election the Government got the fright of its life,” continued Mr Doidge. “Anxious to save its political skin, the Government hopes to find salvation in the abolition of the country quota. The claim is made that our election system is not truly democratic; that the ‘one man one vote’ principle does not operate in its fullest sense. Those who advocate the abolition of the country quota want to see the 1,018,834 European electors divided into 76 equal lots. The present system, it is claimed, disfranchises a certain number.” MAORI ELECTORATES

"But if there is something unjust in requiring more voters to elect an urban candidate than a country candidate, why is there nothing unjust in requiring more voters to elect a European than a Maori? Actually only 1107 votes were cast, in the Southern Maori district at the last election. The .total votes cast for the sitting member,, Mr Tirikatene, were 741. Yet in the division lobbies, Mr Tirikatene’s vote is as good as that of any other member. The principle of ‘one man, one vote,’ if equally applied, would involve cutting _ down Maori representation in Parliament from four members to two.

“Applying to Maori representation the arguments used by Government spokesmen against the country quota, the Maoris, with four seats against 76, disfranchise 440,116 European electors—about half the electors of the country, which means that the Maori’s vote is twice as powerful as the European’s. But, strangely enough, those who advocate the abolition of the country quota never refer to the Maori quota. Their arguments all centre on the rural, as against the city, seats. They want a common quota of 13,495 electors in each electorate, which would mean the disappearance of a certain number of country constituencies and a, proportionate increase in city seats.” (( Mr Doidge said the expression, one man, one vote,” could not mean perfect equality in voting—because it was not possible to achieve perfect equality. If there were a dozen more electors in one electorate than another the balance of voting was upset. The expression simply meant that every man had the right to vote and vote once only. That they already had in New Zealand. REASONABLE SYSTEM "In the allocation of electorates, the existing system in New Zealand, in so far as'the European vote is concerned, is a. fair and reasonable one,” said Mr Dqidge. “The idea to be aimed at in Parliamentary representation is the ■common good. Primary production is the basis of our whole economic structure. The primary industries must have fair representation in Parliament. They could not get it without the country quota in operation. The Government knows it has lost the confidence of that great section of the community without whose efforts we could never sustain our standard of living in New Zealand. Hence their determination to abolish the country quota. “In this by-election the farmers ot Awarua should insist on an unequivocal declaration, from Ministers who visit the electorate, as to their intentions on this vital issue,” concluded Mr Doidge. “Everywhere farmers should organize to ensure a demonstration of public opinion, for if they wait until legislation is actually before Parliament, it will be too late. By now the people must realize how ruthless are the Government’s methods. A bill comes down one day: it is on the Statute Book the ne The meeting, the chairman of which was Mr R. S. Cloughley, passed a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker’for his address.