Proportional Representation. 51 



exhausted, and a new scrutiny proceeded with. But if the 

 candidates fall into the set Class n, then, (1) if any "distri- 

 bution has been made, a new scrutiny is to be proceeded 

 with ; (2) if no distribution has been made, a distribution 

 by selection is to be made from the highest class in which 

 there is any surplus to the next lowest class, and a new 

 scrutiny proceeded with. 



In the second case, where there is no surplus, the candidate 

 who now stands lowest is to be excluded, and his papers are 

 to be dealt with as follows : — 



All which can be transferred to any candidates who have 

 not been withdrawn or excluded are to be transferred to 

 candidates in the lowest class to which they can be trans- 

 ferred. 



Those which can be transferred only to excluded 

 candidates, or cannot be transferred at all, are to be set on 

 one side as lost. 



The remaining papers, if any, are to be set on one side as 

 exhausted. 



In case of equality, that candidate who is lowest in the 

 order of priority on the first count shall be excluded. 



If in this case it should happen that any candidate has 

 a number of votes exceeding the sum of the votes of all 

 who stand lower than he does, then, instead of excluding the 

 lowest, we may at once exclude all who stand lower than 

 the said candidate. 



When any candidates have been excluded, we need pay 

 no attention to their names when we find them indicated on 

 any voting papers, nor, when any candidates have been with- 

 drawn, need we pay any attention to their names when dis- 

 tribution by selection takes place. 



At the end of the election the total number of votes lost 

 will give the number of electors who are not represented. 



In order to test the method here described voting-papers 

 were written out for a trial election. Care was taken to ensure 

 that 3 candidates had each a considerable surplus, the largest 

 being 4 quotas, and the smallest 1 quota, and that a con- 

 siderable portion of this surplus should be transferable only 

 to a few chosen candidates. No more than 3 contingent 

 votes were allowed, and as to the rest, the papers were 

 written pretty much at random. There were 19 vacancies 

 and 26 candidates. The first quota was 100, and the last 63, 

 and the candidate last returned was elected by 55 votes. 

 The same election worked out by the method described in 



e 2 



