Sir, the system of majority preferential voting by the single alternative vote is the name of the method which has been envisaged in this article. Proportional representation by the single transferable vote is always as a rule used in such elections where the constituencies are plural and minorities are given the privilege of sending their representatives according to the proportion of the number amongst the electors. It is said that in Ireland the election of the President is held by single transferable vote. I submit that everything that is done elsewhere should not be taken to be a gospel truth. From the very amendment the House will understand that while it elects only one man for one office, and there is only one office vacant which is going to be filled, the minorities cannot have any representation. It is proportional representation. How will they have a proportion in one man–that man belongs to one party. The minorities will have no proportion in that one President elected by proportional representation. Unless the constituency is plural the proportion does not come in. So it is neither proportional representation because he is a “representative”; generally speaking–in ordinary parlance–I do not know–one might be very critical and look into the dictionary–but generally speaking one representative is known as “representative”. If there are more than one man then they may be known as “representation”. One is not known as “representation”.
