Responsible government in the Dominions: Responsible government in the Dominions

Responsible government in the Dominions (Vol. 1)

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Multivolume work

Identifikator:: 1896933912

Document type:: Multivolume work

Author:: Keith, Arthur Berriedale http://d-nb.info/gnd/119086794

Title:: Responsible government in the Dominions

Place of publication:: Oxford

Publisher:: Clarendon Press

Year of publication:: 1912-

Collection:: Economics Books

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Volume

Identifikator:: 1896934455

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-236504

Document type:: Volume

Author:: Keith, Arthur Berriedale http://d-nb.info/gnd/119086794

Title:: Responsible government in the Dominions

Volume count:: Vol. 1

Place of publication:: Oxford

Publisher:: Clarendon Pr.

Year of publication:: 1912

Scope:: LI, 568 Seiten

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Multivolume work

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Part III. The Parliaments of the Dominions

Collection:: Economics Books

CHAP. VI] THE LOWER HOUSES 507 The Act does not at present apply to the election of representatives of the Maori race, but the Governor is em- powered by Order in Council to bring the second ballot into operation at any time as regards Maoris. At the general election? held on November 17, 1908, in twenty-three electoral districts the candidate who polled the greatest number of votes failed to secure an absolute majority of all the votes polled. As the result of a second ballot fifteen of these candidates were elected and eight defeated, including the leader of the Opposition, Sir W. Russell. The total number of votes recorded in these districts at the first ballot, including 3,015 informal, was 133,752, or 78 per cent. of the number on the rolls, and at the second ballot 126,404 valid votes and 403 informal were recorded, being 74 per cent. of the total roll number. Thus there was a decrease of 6,945 votes, and if to these be added 6,601 votes of electors who voted upon the second occasion only it is found that 13,546 persons who recorded their votes at the first failed to do so at the second ballot, A good deal of annoyance was caused to those candidates who were compelled to face a second election, and there was a movement at that time for the repeal of the Act before the next general election came on, but no steps have been taken to carry this movement into effect, though the point was raised during the discussion of the Electoral Act of 1910. One result of the Act was somewhat unexpected ; in cases where two members of the same party stood against a third member of a different party, and one of the two was defeated, the supporters of that member were inclined to transfer their own votes from their own party to the opposition, in consequence of the personal feeling engendered on that occasion. Moreover, the strain on members of further electioneering was undoubtedly very severe, especially owing to the comparatively large size of the constituencies and the need of travelling from township to township. The same principle of the second ballot was adopted by New Zealand Official Y ear Book, 1909, pp. 392, 393.

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