THE SECOND BALLOT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13737, 29 October 1908, Page 7

THE SECOND BALLOT.

SIR \Y. J. -STEWARD'S KXI'LAXATIOX. Speaking at, Waimate Sir W. J. Steward gave a statement of the- reasons Wiethe Second Ballot Bill was introduced. The object' of ' the Government, he said, was to remedy the effect of the splitting of votes that occurred when there were three or more candidates in the field and the* highest on the poll did not get a majority of the total votes. It wa* desired that each ; election should express the- opinions of' the majority in each constituency,. and. unless the man at the top of the* poll had a dear majority, it wonld-not do. so. The second ballot was designed to ; ensure that the member elected-should represent the majority. It was not a.perfect system; it had been tried in Germany and elsewhfre with not very satisfactory results. Theoretically proportional representation would bo tbe> fairedt. as it wonld allot members in proportion to the number of electors holding different- nnd definable sets; of views. This wonld require very large electorates and the great expense of candidating such electorates made this plan impracticable. itr McXab's Absolute Majority (or Contingent Vote) Scheme would be better than the Second Ballot if it could ,be worked. In thw case the electors wonld strike out all the- names but one. and then number those struck out in tlie order of preference. But, i>eople would not. take the trouble tn mark the papers in that way. and ti> try compulsion hy throwing out papers- not properly marked would cau* gteat dissatisfaction. So- that scheme was pnt aside and tin'* Second Ballot adopted- He had hi* doubts abont its success, but if it- succeeded, well and good; if not they must return to the old system. '