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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 67

The Representation of Minorities

page 7

The Representation of Minorities.

The best known of these attempts include the provisions sought to be made for the "representation of minorities" as it is termed, though, as will be seen hereafter, it is notorious that in some instances the minority obtained the whole of the benefits of representation—while the majority became excluded. These provisions embraced the "three-cornered constituencies," in which, though three members were to be returned, electors could only vote, at most, for two of them—thus, it was supposed, giving a chance to the minority to concentrate all their voting power for the return of the third man. This contrivance seems to utterly ignore the fact, supposed to be taken for granted under. Parliamentary representation, that the votes of all electors are of equal value. Under it an elector voting with the majority is capable of casting a vote which will assuredly assist in the return of two men, while the elector voting with the minority can only assist to elect one member. Surely "To him that hath shall be given." Being in a majority under this rule makes a voter's vote of double power, while he who is in a minority is taught to be thankful that there is not taken away from him "even that which he hath"—a vote for a single member.

Another method aiming at the representation of minorities is the "cumulative vote," now in vogue under our Education Act, for the election of School Committees in this Colony. While this plan of voting does in a limited degree provide the means to secure the election of a few candidates who from various causes would probably not be elected under the ordinary majority system of voting, yet it is open to grave objections which need not be here noticed, because of the fact that the cumulative vote is not applied to Parliamentary elections (which form the scope of this enquiry), and no considerable section of people propose to make it so apply.