1. History of its Introduction to College

Students of three or more years' standing who have taken an active interest in the extra-scholastic life of the College and particularly in the administration of the association must agree that the executives that have been elected to control their activities have varied greatly in ability, conscientiousness, common sense and efficiency. This has produced an unfortunate result in the administration of the association's affairs which is very apparent to those, who, for instance, are acquainted with the present state of the records. By many students it has been attributed to the system of election hitherto in force. With eight hundred students it is quite impossible that one student should know the qualifications of every other student for any particular office. In theory the executive has been elected by these eight hundred students. In practice only a very small number troubled to vote at all. At the last election which was considered a good poll, 61 per cent, of the women and 42 per cent, of the men cast votes. When it is remembered that of these few there were probably quite a number who were not personally acquainted with the candidates, it will be obvious, without further argument, that the working of the system was failure. Not even the best planned scheme could depart in practice so far from the theory on which it depended and still give results. During the past few years more than one radical change has been made with the object of remeding the glaring faults in the system of election. No lasting improvement has been apparent and when the College of Electors was first brought forward it was felt by several of the oldest students that a practical system had now been suggested. Students naturally sub-divide themselves into clubs and the members of any particular club know the other members much better than they know the students of other clubs. In general club commit tees it should be possible to sift from among the great number of students the most suitable officers. Under the old system all association business which required the consideration of students outside the executive had to come before a general meeting. Some years ago the executive was even elected at a general meeting with all its well-known limitations. Here, in the short space of two hours, and amid the confusion and sometimes the heat of an excited gathering, students were expected to consider calmly the financial policy and other business matters of the Association. It is not too much to say that constructive criticism was impossible, in general meetings. The idea of altering the method of electing the executive to provide this necessary improvement, first originated in the minds of several students who, at an inter-Varsity tournament had discussed with some prominent students from Otago University a similar, but not identical system, to one used at that University.

The idea was first submitted to the students at the annual general meeting of the Association held in June, 1930, although a general working of the scheme was explained to a meeting of club representatives held just prior to the last Students' Association elec- page 10 tion, and the former meeting instructed a sub-committee to investigate the proposal and report back to a special general meeting of the Association. Although the time given for consideration was short the executive obeyed the instruction, unanimously approved of the amendments to the constitution and reported back to the special meeting. This meeting considered the executive's recommendations and without any serious objections having been raised approved of them and hence the College of Electors first entered the Constitution. At this stage all meetings were practically unanimous in their decision to introduce the system.

Later it was realised that besides electing the executive, which is the most important duty that such a body could perform in the students' interests, this College would prove a very efficient check on the executive's activities. A sub-committee of the executive was set up in obedience to the direction of the general meeting and its main recommendations were that, in addition to electing the executive, the College should meet thrice annually, to consider the annual report and balance sheet in greater detail than is possible at present, and to discuss matters of general interest to the students. A new constitution was drawn up in detail by this sub-committee, embodying the College of Electors.