ELECTORAL REFORM

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2981, 19 January 1917, Page 5

ELECTORAL REFORM

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS London, January 17. . The "Daily .Chronick" states that a conference of Peers and Commoners, under the chairmanship of the Speaker, has concluded an investigation of electoral reform, and mnk©3 recommendations on the following lines:—Tho qualifying period for tho Parliamentary vote sitoula be reduced to six months. Soldiers and sailors should retain tho vote despite the loss of household qualification. All elections should bo held on ono day, and returning .officer' oxpenses paid out of the public funds. Plural voting should be abolished, but a man should be qualified to vote in two constituencies if ho Tesides in ono place and has his business in anotihor. University representation should be retained and extended to bring in new ■universities. Thcro should ho a, redistribution of seats for Great Britain, based on one-vote-one-valuo. Irish over-representation has already been solved by tho Homo Rule- Act. Proportional representation , should be adopted to ensuro that the House of Commons should ho a more exact mirror of national feeling. Certain constituencies should be grouped to-, gether to prevent -Übo obliteration, of Conservative voters in Wales and of Liberal voters in tho Homo counties. The committee failed to reach an agreement in regard to women's suffrage.

' , INACCURATE REPORT (Rcc. January 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, Jamiary 17. The Press Bureau states tho reports of tho recommendations made at the Speaker's Conferenco on electoral reform aro inaccurate.— Aus.-jn.Z. Uable Assn.