THE REFERENDUM.
[To the Editor of the SPEcraron.]
SIR,—I have read with much interest your recent advocacy of the "Referendum" system, and as the principle has been in force in this Province since 1919, I am enclosing a copy of the Direct Legislation Act of British Columbia, which you may find an interesting addition to your literature on the subject. Use has been made of this Act on several occasions, notably in connexion with the " wet " or " dry" question. The population of the Province is comparatively small, but on -the other hand it is very progressive and is sa.ttered over a very wide area (850,000 square miles) which increases the difficulty of taking the vote and of presenting the arguments for and against the question voted upon.
I remember hearing Lord Balfour come out as an advocate of the Referendum at a mass meeting at the Albert Hall in 1910, but I have not come across any statements from him dealing with the subject of late. If the new Labour Government wish to test the feeling of the country on some planks of their policy they might make a beginning with the Nationalization of Railways and the Direct Levy !-
I am, Sir, &c., G. H. DORRELL. 839 Hastings St. W., Vancouver, Canada. January 26th.
[We are much obliged to our correspondent for the copy of the Act. The essential clause is as follows :- " 13. (1.) Where an Act passed by the Legislature contains a provision that the coming into operation of the Act shall be subject to the provisions of this section, then, if no petition of electors is presented in accordance with the provisions of this section, the Act shall come into operation on the nine- tieth day after the termination of the session at which the Act was passed. (2.) Subject to the provisions of this section, any electors, not less in number than twenty-five per centum of the total electors of the Province, may by petition, in Form No. 2 in the Schedule, or to the like effect, addressed to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, and filed in the office of the Attorney-General within sixty days after the termina- tion of the session at which any Act the corning into operation of which is subject to the provisions of this section was passed, request that the Act be submitted to a vote of the electors. (8.) The electors by whom the petition is signed shall include, as to seventy-five per centum of the electoral I districts, electors in each electoral district not less in number than ten per centum of the electors in that electoral district." —En. Spectator.]
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