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prejudice, or whose indifference, has rendered them impervious 

 to reason. The simplicity, both of the process of voting and of the 

 general principle of the Act, is clearly shown by the following 

 instructions suggested by Miss Spence of Mouth Australia : — 

 "1. There are here 12 candidates, six tobe elected. 



2. Vote by numbering candidates in the order of your choice, 



that is to say :— Place 1 to the left of the candidate you like 

 best. Place 2 to the left of the name of the candidate you 

 like second best. Place 3 to the left of the name of the 

 candidate you like next best, and so on. 



3. Vote for not less than three names. 



4. The same number must not be placed against more than one 



name. 



5. The numbers must be'placed opposite the names. 



Note. — Your vote will be used for one candidate according to 

 your preference. If the candidate you like most, either (a) 

 Does not need your vote (has enough votes to elect him without 

 your vote), or (b) cannot use your vote (has so few votes that 

 he cannot possibly be selected) ; your vote will be transferred to 

 the candidate you like next best, as shown by your numbers,, 

 and used— notwasted." 



The work of the returning officer, while less simple than that 

 of the elector, demands no exceptional qualifications. He need 

 display the intelligence of a clerk— scarcely more. 



The limitation of tho Hare System to districts returning a 

 small number of members has the additional merit of removing 

 objections based on an alleged encouragement of faddism. It 

 is difficult to believe that sincerely Democratic principles can 

 sanction the exclusion of electors from representation, simply be- 

 cause they have the misfortune to advocate opinions which the 

 great majority regard with aversion. Yet the cause of pro- 

 portional representation has often suffered on this account. 

 Whatever importance must be attached to the objection, it ceases 

 to apply to that modification of the Hare System which has been 

 adopted in this colony. In a constituency returning only six 

 members, the electors who are strong enough to secure a repre- 

 sentative may claim to be exempt from the imputation of 

 singularity. The minorities which the Act encourages must 

 always be respectable. If it is further objected that the neces- 

 sity for constant compromise destroys the consistency of party 

 government, even where only respectable minorities are repre- 

 sented, the retort is simple. Compromise is equally necessary 

 under both systems ; under the old, it is effected at the hustings, 

 in all the excitement and turmoil of an election ; under the new, 

 it is effected in the relatively calm and judicial atmosphere of 

 the Legislature. 



A perusal of the instructions already mentioned suggests a 

 further peculiarity. The industry of the elector must be equal to 

 the task of voting for three candidates. The limit may be raised 

 when experience of the system forbids the excuse of novelty. The 

 elector whose capacity or whose interest is taxed by the nomina- 

 tion of three candidates, fails to influence the election if those for 

 whom he votes have a quota without his assistance; or, indeed, 

 if their need be so extreme that his assistance is unavailing. 

 The elector who pleads a fastidious taste, as an excuse for a 



