TROOPS & THE ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2244, 2 September 1914, Page 6

TROOPS & THE ELECTIONS

GOVERNMENT'S BILL

SCHEME TO TAKE VOTES IN ENGLAND. The Government's Bill to give members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces an opportunity of voting on the issues which will be submitted at the next general election polls was • introduced to Parliament by Governor's Message last evening. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher explained tho Bill. He said that tho object of tho measure- was to enable members of the Expeditionary Forces who wcro either abroad or obout to go abroad to exercise tho rights of citizenship both as rogardod tho election for members of Parliament and- the election for the licensing poll. A proposal contained in the Bill would require a little explanation. It would do practically impossible to take the voto.of the Force while it was actively engaged. -The prospects were that the Force would take about sixty clays to reach England, and tho men would then probably bo at least six weeks or two months- in England. • Mr. G. W. Russoll (Avon): The Canadians are going straight to the front. Mr. Fisher: The honourable member is making that statement on tho strength of a newspaper report, and they are not always reliable. I would not, like tp say that the Canadians are going straight to tho front, Proceeding, Mr. Fisher said that' it would be six weeks before a man was able to put a leg across a New Zealand horse, and even then the animals might not be fit. The proposal was that a roll of those going away should be prepared on each transport on the way to England. An officer of the' Electoral Department would bo sent on one of the vessels, who would on reaching London compi'e a roll of the members of the Force. This the officer would get printed in , London, and transmit to New Zealand, so that the names would be,taken off the roll here. As soon as tho information was available in New Zealand the names of tho candidates would be cabled to the' High Commissioner, ivho would get the necessary ballotpapers printed in London, and proceed to the place whore the troops were staturned, and, with tho assistance of tho officers whom he. would have power to appoint, hold the elections. Sir Joseph Ward: Will they cable Home tho qualifications of tho candidates?

Mr. Fisher: Well, possibly it would not cost much to cable some. (Laughs ter.) Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh (Wellington South): It would, cost a lot to cable yours. _ They change from day to day.' Continuing, Mr. Fisher said that the votes of the Forco would be recorded as absentee votes. The intention was that the election in England- should take placo the day before the election in New Zealand, and in the small hours of the morning of our election day the results would become available for tho returning officers here. As regarded the men at Samoa, the manner'of voting would be similar if tho men' were still away. It might be that it would bo impossible for the members of the Force to_ vote —if the' Imperial Government said that the Force should not take a vote, or if the men had to go to tho front. A member: What about the licensine votof • . - Mr. Fisher: That will be taken at the samo tune. , ' , The Bill Criticised. Sir Joseph Ward, leader of the Opposition, said that the proposal would entirely defeat the object. He was of the opinion that every effort should be made by the House to evolve a scheme by which members of the Force would be able to beyond doubt record their .votes on tho • general election issues. Difficulty in carrying out the proposal would ensue if the men were scattered when they reached England, or if some of them immediately went to the front. U would be much better for the vote to be taken before the men left the country, even if some system'of prosy voting had to bo arrived at. It could even be made a condition that the direction of tho men could be submitted to the returning officer. Mr. Fisher: A great many of them could not vote under your proposal because they will not come of ago before the_ next election. Sir Joseph Ward said that that could bo provided for. He hoped 1 that tho Government would not bind themselves down hard and fast to the present measure, and .suggested that a committee of members of both sides of the House should be set up to' go into the question. ] . Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) said he was disappointed at the lines on which the Bill was drafted. So far as the licensing issue went, the men could ceitainly vote, on -that before they went,' but there was a difficulty regarding the voting for candidates. However, an arrangement about party voting could get over that. The broad issue at the polls would be: Was the present Government to .remain in office, or be replaced byj>a. party from the Opposition benches P'The greatest blot on the measure was_ the division of tho men into two political parties when they reached Europe. After the men had left New Zealand to a common enemy they should not be divided by party politics.

Voting by Proxy Suggested. Mr. J.- A. Hanan (Invercargill) thought that the question raised showed the need for tho postponement of the elections. ■ ■■ ."■ Mr. J. H. Bradney (Auckland West) said that the only reason he saw for the postponement of the elections was the saving of the expenditure of money whichcould be.diverted for more urgent purposes. If the elections were postponed, they should be postponed for the full- term of three years. Jlero was a splendid chance for the. Opposition to sink party for the sake of the country. (Laughter.) i Mr. A. M. Myers (Auckland East) said that he found) it almost impossible to believe that in throwing this Bill onthe floor of the House the Government had seriously considered tho question. He thought the men should not bo sent away with the absorbing. questions of party politics in their minds. Mr. G. V. Pearco (Patea) agreed with tho suggestion that a committee should bo set up, as lie did not like tho proposal made in the Bill. He was afraid it would not secure the men the vote. They, might go straight to the front, or, if in Euglahd, would probably be split up considerably. Ministers: They will be together. ■■ Mr. D. Buiok (Pahnorston North) thought the men should be given a vote beforo they left the country,. and a wish to that effect was almost unanimous throughout New Zealand. Although the candidates wore not officially known, they were known in a practical sense. Men could leave thoir authority to vote behind them. There might bo a few Mistakes through young men giving proxies to men who wero not straight; but very few of theso errors would occur. He hoped the present Bill would bo torn up and something workable obtained, but he did not agreo with Sir Joseph Ward's idea to vote for parties. The voting should bo for individuals. Mr. 11. Atmore (Nelson) opposed the Bill, and suggested that early noininatiou of candidates could be insisted on. Mr. H. G. Ell (Christchnrch South) .said that he was suro the bulk of tho people of this country were opposed to (.lie holding of a general election during the present crisis. The Prime Minister

should ask the House for power to extend the period of Parliament. Mr. G. J. Anderson (Mataura) said ho was very much disappointed with the Hill as introduced. Ho favoured tho proxy system proposed by tho member for Patea. Ho would urge tho Government to withdraw the Bill. If the elections were to be postponed at all, ,and ho bolieved they should be, the postponement should bo for at least two years. * To Set up a Committee. The Itight Hon. W. F. Massey (Prime Minister) said he had been interested to observe that not two men had expressed the same'opinions on the subject. Ho himself had thought a good deal about the proposal, and had begun by thinking that the proxy scheme was tho best. A Bill had actually been drawn to give effect to the proposal. Exports, however, had condemned it, and had declared for the scheme in the Bill. And officers who had seen active service had said that the system proposed in tho 13111 was a porfectly feasible one. All were agreed on tho main point—that the men ought to have a vote —and he had recommended his colleague to send l.he Bill' to a Committee. Mr. Fisher had agreed, and would move to send, tho Bill to a Committee. That Committee might meet next morning, and he hoped that before the day was-over a Bill which would get over the , difficulty would bo passed by the House. For his part ho was strongly opposed to one man collecting a lot of proxies.

Other Opinions. : Mr. J. Payne (Grey Lynn) favoured tho party voting- idea put forward by the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christehurch North) said ho thought the men should be allowed to vot-e at once on .the licensing issue, and ho thought the best method of getting the political votes recorded was by proxies. He urged strongly that tho elections should be postponed. Mr. F. H. Smith (Waitaki) said the veil over party strife in the House was q very thin one. He saw no reason for all the wrangle about votes, because he was sure the men did not want them. He thought the men should have a vote on the liquor issue, but lie did not see how it could. be arranged that they should have votes for Parliamentary candidates 'Mr. P. C. Webb (Grey) urged the postponement of the elections. Mr. R. M'Callum (Wairau) said he would support the Bill if it was the best the Government could offer. _ He saw, as no doubt tho Prime' Minister had seen, that there were grave, objections to giving proxies. On the motion of the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher the'Bill'was referred to a'Committee consisting of Messrs. Bradney, Fill, Myers, M'Combs, Scott, Statham, Sykes. Wilkinson, Sir Joseph Ward, and tße 'mover.