CAMP POLLING BOOTHS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2135, 29 April 1914, Page 7

CAMP POLLING BOOTHS

NOT INTENDED UNDER THE ACT. The action of the Timaru returning officer in appointing a polling place for the mayoral election at the Kowai military camp raises an interesting question in reference to the operation of the Local Elections and , ' Polls Act. When the point \yaa first raised that t'rto attendance at' military camps, of Territorials who Tfero also borough or city electors would entail the loss of their voting privileges at to-day's polling, tho view taken by tho Government was that no remedy could bo applied, and that the provisions of the Act would not warrant the establishment of polling booths at the camps. This attitudo is still maintained, but it nevertheless ap?ears that tho action taken by tho imaru returning officer is not likely to invalidate tho poll. Tho position appears to ho that a loophole exists in the law, and that it has been complied with in the letter, though not in its strict! intention. The authorities at Timaru rely upon Sub-Section b, Section 7, of tho Local Elections and Polls Act, 1908, which reads as follows:—"No election . shall be liable to bo questioned by reason only that any nomination of candidates, taking of votes, or declaration of the poll has occurred at any ptaco outside tlw district affected by such election, or that any polling-place was appointed outside the said district, if such public office or polling-place has been' actually appointed." : This sub-section was not of course overlooked when the question of possible polling at the camps was raised some weeks ac;o, but the view was taken that tho provision waa only intended to apply to such cases as that of a county or borough adjacent to a city appointing a polling-place within the city area. For instance, it is customary for the Hufct County and several of the boroughs adjacent to Wellington to appoint pollingplaces in Wellington for the convenience'of their electors. It seems plain that a provision which would enable a local body to provide a polling-booth at somo'nioro or*less distant-camp would enablo it to appoint a _ booth anywhere, so long as it was within tho confines of the-Dominion. . •_ When the subject was mentioned yesterday to tho Hon. H. D. Bell (Minister of Internal Affaire), he said that the matter had been referred to the Grown Law Officers (some time ago), and they had reported that it was not the intention of tho Act that nolling-places should be established at military camps. Such a course could not,, therefore, be advised by the Government. "If it could have been done." tho Minister added, ; "it would havo been done."