ELECTORAL LAW.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 904, 25 August 1910, Page 5

ELECTORAL LAW.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. THE NEW CENSUS SCHEME. Under tho Legislature Amendment Bill, which was read a first time yesterday, it is provided that an electoral census may be-'- taken, of every or; any

electoral district for the purpose of enrolling all qualified persons not nlready enrolled, livery master or mistress ot any liceuspd public-house, lodginghouse, or private . dwelling-house who fails to give the enrolment officer all necessary information is to be liable to a fine of £5. Applications by naturalised British subjects must be verified. A claimant for transfer must have resided in the district to which he 'has removed for one mouth "immediately preceding his application." A person whose name on the electors' roll is objected to must take s'teps to substantiate his claim .within ten days after, the service of the notice upon him. The person objected to may, on the hearing of the objection, either appear in 'person, or by a representative, or forward by post a" statement setting forth reasons for his remaining on the roll. In any proceedings the burden of producing evidence in support of tho objection: shall be on the objector and not on the registrar. The powers and duties imposed on.a magistrate may, in the event of a magistrate being unable 'to act, be exercised by any two Justices nominated by telegraph or otherwise by. the mapisThe registrar may remove, inter alia, the names of every person of. whose identity ho is satisfied; and whose namo appears on the official monthly list of deaths,. and the namo of overy adult woman whose name appears on tho official monthly .return of , certificates of marriage, and who is proved to his satisfaction to have left the district. ' ' ■-'.'■'

. It is provided that writs shall be made returnable within 28 instead of 21 days. Returning officers are to give at least 12 instead of 10 days' notice of tho day of polling at by-elections. Any. scrutineer appointed, who during the hours,of polling leaves the pollingbooth to which he .is appointed, without having first obtained the permission of tho Deputy Returning Officer, shall not be entitled to re-enter tho booth or to resume:his scrutiny.." i... The following new provision has been drafted regarding ballot papers:—Before giving a ballot-paper to an elector the Deputy Returning Officer shall enter on both tho counterfoil and the back of the ballot-paper a number (called a - consecutive number) beginning with the number one in the case of tho first ballot-paper issued by him, and on all succeeding ballot-papers issued by him the l numbers shall be consecutive, so that no two ' ballotpapers issued in any booth shall .bear the same number; on the counterfoil of the ballot-paper he shall also write, his i initials, and the number appearing on tho roll against the name of the elector to, whom the ballot-paper is to bo given; on.both the counterfoil and the back of the ballot-paper" ho shall place his .official'mark', and,then draw a lino in pencil or -nk through; the , number arid name of the elector on the roll as evidence that the elector has tendered his vote. .' ■ ' ; '■'■ ' ' ' '■

Thcrp.'are provisions for voting permits for absent voters. /The 'Bill also deals at length with the counting of the votosj declaration of poll, renount, and the automatic ..purging, of the rolls., Notice is to' be- sent ,to persons w!a;se names are erased for not voting.