POLITICAL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 115, 20 June 1914, Page 12

POLITICAL.

ME A. S. MALCOLM. Press Association. BALCLUTHA, June 19. Mr A. S. Malcolm, M.P. for Clutha, addressed a full hall at Ovvaka, near Balclutha, last night. He dealt with the general Government policy, and speaking of representation said that the question of representation had been before the House last session and would probably be before it this session. He had always thought that the "first past the post'' system was fairer and better. It was claimed that a candidate should be returned only on the vote of the majority, but there often was not a majority in favour of any one candidate, and that was an essential fact that was constantly overlooked. There was much confused thinking on the subject, and often able journalists believed that by such hanky-panky tricks as the second ballot or the preferential vote they could create a majority. Majorities so created were purely artificial, and so in the best sense of the word were not majorities at all. In most electorates political opinion was divided into more than two camps, and that any one of these camps should have a majority as against the other two or more was unlikely. So in the case of three voters, A, B, and C, Reform, Liberal, and Labour respectively, it might happen that none of them got a majority. If the second ballot system were used, what happened in practice was that the voter for C gave his first vote for the man who represented his ideas. At the : second ballot he found that while he did not like B he hated C, so he voted for B. It was really not a preference vote, but an antipathy vote, given not to put B in, but to keep C out. B, if elected, would really represent only those who gave him their first vote —that is, a minority. The speaker opposed the second ballot and the preferential vote. While much, was to be said for proportional representation, he did not think it would suit New Zealand. It would do away with, the country quota, and, moreover, New Zealand would probably be divided into two great electorates, North and South, and with the abolition of single electorates no elector would have a member. At the conclusion the speaker was unanimously accorded a vote of thanks and of confidence in him and the present Government. .MR ALLEN IN MARLBOROUGH. BLENHEIM, June 20. The Hon. Jas. Allen addressed a wellattended meeting at Ward last night, speaking on the lines of previous addresses. At the conclusion a vote of thanks and confidence in the Massey Government was carried by a very narrow majority over an amendment of thanks and no confidence owing to the stoppage of railway works in this district. SIR JOSEPH WARD. TIMAEU, June 19. Sir Joseph Ward is to deliver a political at Temuka on Monday evening. MR RUSSELL AT RICHMOND. Mr G. W. Eussell, M.P. for Avon, delivered another speech to his constituents in the Richmond Methodist Schoolroom last evening. Mr J. Burgess presided. Mr Eussell said that the purpose of the stonewall of last session was to prevent the "gerrymandering" *of the electoral law by the Government. The Government had abolished the second ballot, in the hope that they would slip in members on a minority vote through the splitting of the votes of other parties. He denied that Mr Massey had threatened a dissolution, but even if he had done so, the Liberals would not have budged. They would have gone to the polls on five minutes' notice. In answer to questions, Mr Russell said that he was in favour of the threefifths majority in liquor polls, and he would stand to that pledge. The defence system must have a reasonable trial, although he believed one or two amendments were necessary. • A motion of thanks and confidence was carried. The usual amendment that the vote be one of thanks only, because the Liberals had introduced the Defence Act, was defeated.