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SEAMEN’S VOTES

AMENDMENT TO ACT PROPOSED

DISCUSSION IN LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WELLINGTON, September 15.

When the Statutes Amendment Bill was in the committee stages in the Legislative Council to-day, three amendments were introduced. The first of these provided that nothing in section 91 of the Electoral Act should be construed to prevent a seaman qualified to vote from voting in the same manner as an ordinary voter. The Leader of the Council (the Hon. M. Fagan) said the amendment would provide better facilities for voting by seamen who were nearly all domiciled in New Zealand, and should have the same rights as other electors. The amendment iwas approved. The second amendment provided that when a ship was about to leave New Zealand at any time after the latest day fixed for the nomination of candidates for a General Election, and before the closing of the polls on polling day, arrangements were to be made for taking the votes of the officers, crew, and passengers who were entitled to vote at the election. The amendment also provided that ships be declared polling places, and that votes might be taken at a convenient time. A further sub-section provided that the validity of the election or poll should not be questioned ■on the ground that anything done when taking the votes was irregular. • The Hon. W. Perry opposed the subsection on the grounds that it opened the door to any irregularity whatsoever. •

Mr Fagan said the sub-section was similar to the one relating" to voters at the Chatham Islands. Mr Fagan agreed to make inquiries, and after he had done so, said the provision was not a new one, as it was used when soldiers voted overseas in 1918.

Mr Perry said he was not convinced that it could not lead to grave irregularities occurring without check, and it was not necessary for the purpose of preventing minor irregularities from voiding an election, because no Court would void an election because of minor irregularities. He moved that the sub-clause be deleted. His motion was defeated by 18 votes to nine. The third amendment provided for the registration of electors having no settled place of abode. Mr Fagan said the clause was designed to enable travellers who were never three months in one electorate to enrol, provided that they had been in New Zealand 12 months. The amendment was approved; but Mr Fagan later asked for the recommittal of the bill to move its deletion, and it was deleted.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19380916.2.75

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22508, 16 September 1938, Page 12

Word count
Tapeke kupu
417

SEAMEN’S VOTES Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22508, 16 September 1938, Page 12

SEAMEN’S VOTES Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22508, 16 September 1938, Page 12

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