THE ELECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19443, 31 October 1925, Page 8

THE ELECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITY

An interesting question is raised by the action of a meeting of Wanganui women, who have decided to put certain questions to the candidates for the Wanganui and Rangitikei seats and to refuse at the Parliamentary election to support any candidate whose replies are considered unfavourable to the no-license cause. This means that there are electors who will disregard all the issues that are at stake in the general election and will vote prohibition, and only prohibition, at both the Parliamentary and the licensing poll. While the devotion of these people to the cause of prohibition is admirable from one point of view, we are afraid that they are permitting their zeal to outrun their discretion.

There are, of course, certain questions in which all parties in the licensing contest are very closely interested. Questions that will probablly come before Parliament are whether the period between licensing polls shall be extended, whether the Parliamentary and licensing polls shall be taken at different times, whether, in the event of prohibition being carried, legislation should be enacted with the object of obtaining a further expression of the people’s will, and so on. So far as such questions as these are concerned the parties in the licensing contest are certainly entitled to seek information as to the views of candidates for Parliament. It is, however, a very different matter to ask a candidate what he intends to do with his voting paper at the licensing poll, which the law very properly regards as a fitting occasion for a secret ballot. There are candidates who say plainly that they will state their intention on the voting paper, and not publicly, and their plea that their right of voting secretly should not be taken from them is entitled to respect.

The licensing issue is one to be decided by every citizen according to the dictates offhis conscience. To make the licensing issue the only issue in a Parliamentary election is, to our way of thinking, a most dangerous proceeding. If the prohibitionists were strong enough in all the electorates to fill the whole Parliament with supporters of prohibition, it might be a very good Parliament; but if the members all took the narrow view of politics that those who will vote against anyone who is not a prohibitionist appear to take, then Parliament would make a poor job of conducting the country’s business. In a young, developing country it matters a great deal whether the affairs of State are placed in the hands of a sound progressive Government or in those of a number of extremists, who might quickly lead the country into a state of financial, economic and social chaos. No matter how great their zeal for any one objective, electors would be well advised to ponder their responsibilities and question themselves seriously as to whether they can as citizens afford to concentrate all their effort on one issue and thus perhaps imperil the safety and integrity of the whole nation.