The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1928 A FINE DAY FOR IT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 511, 14 November 1928, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1928 A FINE DAY FOR IT

NOTHING may be said on election day about the best candidates to vote for or the worst parties to vote against, but everybody who took an interest in the Parliamentary poll said this morning with appreciation that the politicians at least were getting a fine day for it. There was bright summer sunshine to hearten the pessimists in .contemplation of party failure and also make the optimists beam and burble with confident anticipation of triumph, and, best of all, there was just enough of brisk, cool wind to blow away into forgetfulness the hot air and blather of the platform campaign. The beauty of the day, indeed, was such as to make political death for individuals, and perhaps for parties, less of a tragedy for them and more of a comedy for the people. A fine day for a national election invariably means heavy polling. There is nothing like a blue sky to promote a tolerance of poor polities and politicians entirely without the spark of genius. The man of business and the worker alike find pleasure in going round the corner to the nearest polling booth to register their political love or hatred of things as they are in the hope that somehow things may become better. And even the small farmer, who is never supposed to escape from cow-yard drudgery, aud for whom every politician’s heart overflows with goodwill and desire to make him contented, manages to spare an hour or two for electoral service and plain talk with cronies about it all. Thus,'fine weather enhances the importance of politics, though it may not alter political inferiority and decadence. -~

There should be a record poll on this occasion. Compulsory registration has increased the Dominion roll of electors, and it may at least be presumed that a greater proportion than usual of those who obeyed the law will have realised the intention of compulsory enrolment. Of course, it may be the old adage over again that you can drive a horse to water, but may not make him drink it. One of the most amazing and contradictory features of British polities is the fact that while no nation in the world has fought harder for the right to vote and the privilege of maintaining government of the people and for the people by the people, no nation is more apathetic than the British about exercising the franchise. They take only a spasmodic interest in its purpose, though they probably would revolt if any power tried to rob them of their neglected rights. Things might be different if a totalisator were registering bets on the Parliamentary candidates. The prospect of some big dividends would make an end to electoral apathy. Meanwhile, horses and hats are still more attractive generally than dull politics. So far, there has been little talk in New Zealand about the introduction of compulsory voting. This compulsion has been adopted in Australia, but it does not appear to have made politics any better. The people still get the Governments they deserve, and their deserts apparently are grievous. Perhaps there never will be any advantage to be derived from compulsory voting until electors also can be compelled to vote on the right side. This, or something like it, has been tried in other times, but such compulsion savoured too much of intimidation. After all, voters who disfranchise themselves probably do not require much sympathy. Sentiment ought to be kept for the voter who becomes disfranchised because of voting for the wrong man and the wrong party. When it comes to the end of this perfect day the people, in all probability, will be neither the better nor the worse for the results of the poll. As for those who gambled on the issues, many of them will have learnt that risking money on a political battle is, like betting on slow horses, a foolish investment.