THE SECOND BALLOT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3357, 25 October 1911, Page 9

THE SECOND BALLOT.

PROPOSED REPEAL BY CABINET. GOVERNMENT’ PARTY DISAGREES The Government, says the. “Dominion,” is evidently finding that the second ballot is a kind of political boomerang that is likely to hit the thrower before it comes to the end of its flight. The possible combination of the Reform party and the Labor party at the coming second ballots has no doubt emphasised the dangerous nature of the weapon. But whatever the reason there is no doubt that the Government is afraid of the result. At a meeting of the party held on Friday—ostensibly to have a ‘cup of tea with Mr Dillon and say good-bye to him on the eve of his retirement from Parliament—the question was brought up, the repeal of the Second Ballot Act suggested, and the putting.in its place of a. system of preferential voting. The suggestion was that voters should exercise a preference—first and second —for candidates at the first ballot. The question was discussed at some length and as there appeared to bo a considerable difference of opinion in the party it was decided to adjourn the meeting till Monday when it could bo further discussed. When the Monday’s caucus had assembled, however, the party was not called upon to decide the issue. A member who was present at the caucus states that an intimation was made that in the' interval Cabinet had met and had decided to do nothing. It is further stated that there was some dissatisfaction in Hie party at the action of Cabinet in stepping in to over-rule the caucus after the question had been submitted to it.