Proportional Representation. 49 



(2.) The candidates A, B, &c, may divide themselves into 

 two groups, A, B, Sue; D, E, &c., so that Al, Bl, v &c., 

 are each greater than the quota, and Dl, El, &c, are each 

 less than the quota. Under these circumstances, we trans- 

 fer from A, B, &c, to D, E, &c, as before described, with 

 the same alternative consequences. It is clear, then, that 

 by a repetition of this process we can go on until we either 

 completely distribute all surplus or withdraw a certain 

 number of candidates with a certain number of lost votes, 

 and so obtain a new quota, and commence de novo. 



So far these processes of distribution have been briefly 

 described. In orderto prevent the Returning Officer exercising 

 any discretion, the exact order in which they are to be made 

 must be described. It will be seen that three different 

 cases have been described in which papers can be trans- 

 ferred from the heap of one candidate to the heap of another 

 candidate. These are as follows : 



(1.) When a candidate is excluded. This process will now 

 be called " transference." 



(2.) When a candidate has a surplus, and, in order to dis- 

 tribute his surplus, it is necessary to use the process of 

 selection. This process will be called "distribution by 

 selection." 



(3.) When a candidate has a surplus, and, in order to dis- 

 tribute, it is not necessary to use the process of selection. 

 This process will be called " distribution." 



It has already been stated that when we have Al, Bl, &c, 

 greater than the quota a simplification occurs, inasmuch as 

 we can distribute to a certain extent without selection. It 

 is now to be further noticed that if we make these distribu- 

 tions and proceed to a new count before making a distribu- 

 tion by selection, we may postpone this last process from 

 time to time, and that it may not be necessary to resort to 

 it at all ; and that if we have to resort to this process, it 

 will, in many cases, be much more easy to perform then 

 than if it had been entered upon at the earlier stage. 

 Hence, then, in the plan of operations proposed, as many 

 distributions as possible are made before resorting to the 

 process of distribution by selection. The systematic process 

 which can be applied to all cases is as follows : 



The papers are first to be arranged in separate heaps, as 

 already described, and a list of the candidates made out in 

 the order in which they stand on the first count. A series 

 of scrutinies is then to be made, and continued till all the 



