VOTES FOR SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2245, 3 September 1914, Page 6

VOTES FOR SOLDIERS

A KNOTTY PROBLEM AND k EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE PARTY TOTING.ONLY Voting on party lines is the solution designed by tho Special Committee-'to which the House or Representatives referred the problem of finding a means by which , members of the Expeditionary Force may participate, in the" general elections. ■ ■ "Extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary measures," the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher remarked in moving the second reading of the revised Bill last night.. "I certainly think we shall be able to claim: that this , is the most, extraordinary voting measure ever designed arid placed upon a Statute Book."'. The proposals of the committee were explained by the chairman, Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central). "There.is very little left of tho original Bill," he said, amidst Opposition applause. "In'stead of the votes being taken abroad, iall the voting is to be done before the troops leave the Dominion, special pro-, vision being made for members of the first force." A general provision is mado that ''every member of any Expeditionary Force sent from Now Zealand to serve in the war ■." ... shall bo entitled to vote .' . . .' at the next general election of members of the House of Representatives'and also , at the licensing poll taken simultaneously with such election." Mr. Statham explained that the committee had not included the age liihitatiori, because-most of the voluntoers are either over 21 years.of age or are nearly that age; while some of the latter would. reach their majority before the election was held. Several, machinery clauses would have been required .to meet the difficulties of age, and tho committee agreed that men who were prepared to take the responsibility of fighting for the Empire were entitled to be treated as adult men. (Huar, hear.j A Novel Voting Paper. A novel form of voting paper is ehown as the schedule to the Bill, its text being as follows!— Electoral District 0f... COVERNMENT. , OPPOSITION. LABOUR. Direction to Voter. . The voter must leave untouched the name of the party for which he desires to vote, and must strike out the names of all other parties. The Scheme Outlined. The essential clauses in explanation of the scheme are as follow:— . : Every such vote given for the Government party or for the Opposition party shall be counted as a vote for such candidate (if any) for the electoral district in wJiicli -the rotor Tesicjed immediately before- joining the Expeditionary Force as has been declared by the Prime Minister or by the Leader of the Opposition to bo the candidate for the purposes of this Act .for-that electoral district representing the Government or the. Opposition, as the-case may : be. ' ' . .' livery such vote given for the Labour Party shall be counted as a vote for such candidate for ■ the electoral district as has been declared by any two members of the' House of Representatives as now constituted •appointed by resolution of the House for toe purpose to be the candidate for the purposes of this' Act representing the Labour Party. - - - _.-■ If there is no • candidate declared as aforesaid as representing the party for which the. vote is given, the vote'shall not be counted.- ■ . : . ■ The declarations by the leaders, of the parties aro to be gazetted withinfive days after nomination .dajv Every member of the force who receives a ballot-paper is to mark it, and having enclosed it in an envelope addressed to' the Returning Officer of the electoral district in which he resided immediately before ho-joined the force, and hand it to a special electoral officer for delivery to tho-chief electoral officer at Wellington. Provision is made for votes to be taken on both licensing issues. All the ballot-papers are to be distributed among the electorates not later than seven days before the day fixed for tho general, election, and the votes are to be dealt with as though they had been recordod by an "absent voter." To extend tho franchise to those members of the,force who have already left Now Zealand, epecial electoral officers may be appointed to enable those men to record their votes. Mr. Statham said that as the Minister had pointed out, the question was bristling with difficulties, but the committee had endeavoured to meet these difficulties. Thoy had come to what they regarded as a happy solution of it ; tho happiest under the circumstances. He would inform the House that no divisions were taken on the Bill in the committee, and it had been passed-in its present form unanimously. Criticism of tho BUI. Sir Joseph Ward (AwaTUa) said the problem had been a difficult one, but had been well dealt with by the committee. On the whole it was now a good Bill. Tho Hon. F. M! B. Fisher (in, charge of the' Bill) asked the loavo of tho House to go on with tho measure, as one of urgency. Leavo was granted, and he moved the second reading, of the Bill. Ho still thought that the Bill as introduced tho previous night laid down a proper course of procedure,,

>U j t J lo , woi fi' 1 t of opinion in the House bad declared for an extraordinary measure to meet an extraordinary case. Certainly it eoonind tlio Bill was now the most extraordinary voting, measure that had ever been introduced in any Urliament of the world. Precisely what was going to happen if the two appointed Labour representatives were unable to agree was not provided for in the Bill—(laughter)— and he thought there might bo some very interesting discussions at a later stage. The comltwtteo had found the undertaking to bristle with difficulties, and lie was not sure at all that there would not crop up a number of difficulties which' at present were absolutely unforeoen. Mr. T..M. Wilford (Eutt) said that he thought nothing of the original Bill or the measure- as it came from the committee. He favoured a system of voting by proxy. Mr. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) thought that as the committee had carefully considered the question the Bill might bo accepted for what it was -worth. The Position of Labour. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) said that the Bill :did not provide for one section of tho Opposition's votes being transferred to the other section. The effect of the Bill would be that a large number of votes recorded against the Government would not be counted ageinst them,.but all votes cast in the Government's favour would be counted. What the Bill should provide was that all the Labour votes cast in a certain electorate should be placed in the hands of the Labour representatives appointed by the Houso, and that they should decide where the votes should go if there was ho Labour candidate standing in the constituency. Mr. G. W. Russ'ell (Avon.) considered' the Bill an improvement on the original proposal, hut thought that it could yet, bear one or two amendments. There was nothing in the Bill now to connect it either with • the Legislature Act or the Licensing Aot. Mr. Massey: This is not an amending Bill. . Mr. Russell: Well, then, in what pos'sible' way is the honourable gentleman going to provide for polling and all sorts of things. Mr. Massey: By regulation Mr. Russell said that the Bill also lacked a necessary provision ..for enrolling the men. ' ■ ■•■,"■ Mr. J. A. Hanan (Irivercqrgjll) considered the Bill to be a distinct improvement on its original form. However, there was no power to adjust the votes given for Labour. Mr. A. T. Ngata asked if there was adequate provision for Maori members of the Forces to vote. A , member interjected that Clause 2 might be referred to. • (Clause.. 2 says that every member of any Expeditionary Force shall be entitled to vote.) The Bill was then read a'second time on' the voices, and committed forthwith. In Committee, the Hon. F. 11. B. Fisher said in reply to. questions by .Mr. J. M'Combs.and Mr. A. T. Ngata; respectively, that nurses and Maoris who accompanied the Forces would be entitled to vote. • ■. . "'.■'. On the motion of Mr. Fisher, amendments were made in the .principal operative clause of the Bill, above quoted, but they were amendments in. form only. ,'.■'.■■ ' The Bill was reported from. Commit* tee at 0.10 a.m., read a third time with, out debate, and passed. CARGO IN ENEMY'S SHIPS AN EXPLANATION.' ■ There appears to be some misappre* hension existing in connection with the notification ; published in .the Gazette Extraordinary issued ou Tuesday relating to cargoes on ishins captured as prizes of war. The notification publish-' ed stated that "all persons having any. ; interest in. cargoes other .than, enemy cargoes, laden on enemy's ships captured as prizes, and requiring a release of such cargoes or portions of cargoes, should make inquiries in Wellington at the office of His Majesty's AttonieyGeneral for New Zealand." 1 The , Attorney-General (tho Hon. A. L. Herdman), when interviewed on the matter by a Dominion representative yesterday, said that many Wellington firms having goods on board enemy vessels detained or captured in Australia had since the publication of the notice made inquiries., at his office. These business houses had construed the notice to have reference to : theso goods, but as a matter of fact, the notice related to goods on enemy ships which may be detained in New Zealand ports, or- which may be captured as prizes of war in New Zealand waters. Mr. Herdman pointed out that the. notification was published at the request of the Imperial authorities. Ho was, he said, in ooinnvunication with the AttorneyGeneral of the Commonwealth ascertain-, ing what steps were proposed to be taken by the Australian Governments to facilitate the release of cargo in enemy vessels seized in Australia in which persons in the Dominion had an interest. Mr. Herdman expressed tha hope that the Government would be able to afford every assistance to commercial houses in New Zealand in obtaining delivery of their goods as early as possible under the circumstances. MILITARY PENSIONS SUGGESTED LOCAL BOARDS'. .'By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Rotorua, September 2. The Rotorua Patriotic Fund Committee .intends to circularise local bodies suggesting the introduction ,'of legislation providing pensions boards.; to be electivo and co-operative bodies, with power to levy rates within a prescribed area, the object being to eupplement.the pensions under the- Military Pensions Act payable to dependents of members of the Expeditionary Force. POTATO PLANTERS. NEWTOWN SCHOLARS' PATRIOTIC EFFORT. 'Ihe soholars of the- Newtown School made an excellent start yesterday .with ;heir patriotic scheme of planting potatoes on a portion of the Town BWt at the top of Mein Street. - The youthful agriculturists were supervised and instructed in their work-by Mr. Stace, a retired farmer, who had kindly offered the benefit of his experience to demonstrate the yalue of scientific planting. About one-sixth of an acre was planted yesterday, and the balance of tha Rround, -a quarter-acre portion, will be completed in a few days. Mr. H. A. Parkinson, the headmaster, and Messrs, Castle, Crosby, Collins, and Yeoman, also lent their assistance. The Defence Department desire to acknowledge the following gifts:—. Sir W. C. Buchanan has , made a further donation of 10 tons of , hay to the Wnirarana War Fund. Mr. Ritchie, Molosworth Street, 21 cases of fish, for use on the troopships. A box of books and magazines from A. S. Evans; Pahiatua. At the meeting of the Lower Hutt District High School Committee ,last evening, the headmaster icported that the children had contributed 50 Balaclava caps and 65 pairs of mittens for tho Expeditionary.Force; £5 had been paid over to the Patriotic Fund, per Miss Stuart Forbes, and £2 was ■ in hand towards the cost of the material for the caps. . . . "" A roport that all tho saddlery required for the troops concentrated' at Dunedin was being made in Auckland , was' brought under the notice of the Minister of Defonco in the House of Representatives 'ast evening bv Mr. T. K. Sidoy (Dunedin South).:' Mr. Allen replied that the statement was entirely incorrect. Tenders were invited in Dunodin for saddlery and harness, and the lowest tender was accepted.