Shorter Notices Mk. .MAcacAv has produced a highly instructive, well-written
book on a subject which has become urgent in view of the Speaker's Con- ference on Electoral Reform He is concerned to prove that the practice of democracy in this country seriously falls short by the failure of the existing electoral system to secure representative Par- liaments. Plural voting, resulting from University and occupational votes, gives an undue weight to certain classes of electors. Dis- crepancies in the size of constituencies give unequal values to votes But the most important factor of all in producing unfair results 13 the large number of candidates who have been returned by minori0 votes in triangular contests. The results as analysed by Mr. Mack” are most startling. The verdict of the people as expressed at the polls has been again and again modified or revised since 1918. In 1918 the seats won by non-Coalition candidates were only 81, but would have been 217 if the seats had been distributed in proportion to votes. In the case of 1922 we have the disturbing fact that the total of votes gave the Liberal and -Labour Parties an absolut majority over the Conservatives, whereas the distribution of 1-1-u5'
votes gave the Conservatives a majority and put them in power. Mr. Mackay makes out a very strong case for Proportional Repre- sentation with the Single Transferable Vote, and makes cogent replies to objectors. There is a slip on page 13, where he says that "no Prime Minister in this century has been under 6o." Mr Lloyd George became Prime Minister at the age of 53.
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