564 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION Ql. 



In each of these cases there is electoral injustice. In the first 

 case the minority party, with 932 votes, secures six of the ten seats, 

 whilst the majority party only gets four. In the second case no one 

 of the three pai-ties has an absolute majority. But the weakest of 

 the three parties, with 540 votes, secures four of the six seats; the 

 strongest party gets two only, whilst the party with tlie second largest 

 number of votes gets no representation whatever. 



Such are the results which can be brought about by the existing 

 electoral system. The merest tyro can see that tliese results are 

 untiTie, and he can also see that there is considerable force in the 

 process by which the results are shown to be untrue. It is proposed 

 in this paper to show that this process, which even a child can under- 

 stand, may, by the aid of some simple changes in the electoral law, 

 be made to give the true results of the election. 



The most casual inspection of the figures above given shows that 

 the existing system errs in two distinct ways. In the first place it 

 absolutely ignoi'es the scores of all unsuccessful candidates. In the 

 second place it takes no account whatsoever of the differences in the 

 scores of the successful candidates. 



The remedy, then, is plain and two-fold. In the first place, every 

 member must have in j)arlia7)ient a voting power proportionate to 

 the votes he polls in the election. In the second })lace, every vote 

 polled must be represented in parliament. 



The first part of the remedy is quite simple in practice. Furnish 

 every membei- witli an " ingot" Aveighing one gram for eveiy thousand 

 votes polled by the member. In a "division" in parliament every 

 ingot would be cast by its owner on the " aye" or the " no" balance. 

 The number of popular votes for and against every measure before 

 parliament would then be quickly and automatically found, and the 

 tellers could compile the division list at their leisure. 



The second part of the remedy leads to a most important feature. 

 Since every vote is to be repi-esented, it follows that in each district 

 there must be as many seats as there are parties. Nothing short of 

 this can secure to each party its proper share of representation, be 

 the parties few or many. Tliis feature is the stumbling-ljlock for every 

 member of jiarliament at present. Members will not give up the one- 

 luember districts. Yet. no true electoral reform can be got till this is 

 done. 



One other simple feature remains to be mentioned. Each elector 

 is to have one vote as at present, but to heal party splits it is 

 necessary to use the contingent or single transferable vote. The 

 extensive experience of the Political Labour Council in Victoria and 

 elsewhere places beyond all doubt or cavil the fact that the single 

 transferable vote does simply, satisfactorily, and completely heal all 

 splits within the }>arty, no matter how ineffective it may he as a means 

 of bringing together two different parties. 



Thei-e are, then, three simple reforms necessaiy. First, the ingot, 

 or vote by weiglit. Second, the enlarged district, so many parties, so 

 many seats for the district. Finally, the single transferable vote to 

 heal all party splits. 



