Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1884. PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 231, 27 August 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1884. PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION.

Turning over some old files we find a contemporary discussing the Hare system of representation, and disapproving of its introduction to New Zealand. The paper bears date about the time that Major Atkinson was wishing to give the system a practical trial, and, strange to say, the chief objection it raises against its introduction is that it is not easy to comprehend. We cannot endorse this view, but, on the contrary, think that both m principle and m detail the system propounded by Mr Hare is simple and gives great promise of turning out to be effective. The inventor was evidently prompted to the construction of this new mode of electing representatives, by the feeling that when an electorate is divided into factions, and two candidates contest the single seat, since only one of them can be successful, a large proportion of electors must remain unrepresented. This must always be, whilst the present system of voting is upheld. Tfye Hare system is based upon tl?e idea that if an elector is not representecl by the member for the actual district m which he resides, he may still be able to vote for another candidate who stands for some other portion of the country, but who nevertheless holds his political views. In other words it is possible for the minority to be represented by means of the Hark system, whereas up to the present time at any rate, this is the case wijh no. other mode of representation. A modification f>fif\e Hare system was recently suggested m fljat popular magazine the "Nineteenth Century," with a view to electing a working body of members m the House of Lords m England, and thus relieving the rest of the Peers (many of whom are very unfitted for it), of the task of dealing with matters of legislation at all. This modification if somewhat shaped to suit colonial constituencies, would consist m generalising the votes to a certain degree over a defined district,

The Hare system may be said to do this too, only its operations extend over a much larger area. In the modification the old Provincial clistricts would suit admirably lor the groups of electorates, and m each of these a certain number of candidates could stand for election, and be chosen from the whole of the group, instead of from any single constituency. Take any Provincial district as an example, and it will be found the interests of the several electorates within its boundaries are m most ways identical. Moreover, if there should be two equally good candidates contesting the same electorate they might both be elected, through the influence of the votes of an adjoining constituency. In this respect, perhaps, more than m any other, the modification of Hare's system would work most beneficially. In some cases we have two men standing for the same electorate, either of whom would be a loss to the country were he not returned. In some cases a still more deplorable calamity happens, when a political nonentity is returned and a statesman of standing and experience rejected m his favor. Such a thing could not happen under the new system. If one electorate were not aware of the fatal mistake they were committing, m rejecting a good politician, another would, and so all the best men would stand the greatestjehance of being returned. We cannot say the same for the present system of voting. We have seen too much to convince us of the contrary ; and lastly, as we have already pointed out, the minority would be represented. If, out of an electorate like Manawatu where there are about 2000 electors, there were 1200 who held liberal views arid only 800 conservatives, then the Liberal candidate would be elected. /But the minority could still find a representative m one of the candidates standing for an adjoining constituency, for whom they might vote. Do not let us raise a single unnecessary obstacle m the way of introducing a reform m this direction. In England, societies have been formed to accomplish a similar end already, and we might do worse than allow anyone who is bold enough to grapple with the difficulty m this country) fair play and a reasonable opportunity for a satisfactory trial of the system alluded to.