THE GREY SEAT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 180, 19 April 1918, Page 5

THE GREY SEAT

' MR. WEBB'S POSITION. Section 38 of the Legislature Aot contains the following provision: "A person convicted of an ' offence punishable by death or imprisonment:'for one year or upwards ■within aiiy part of His Majesty's dominions . . . unless such offender has l'cceivcd a freo or lins undergone the sentence or punisbmont to which ho was adjudged for such offence, shall not be entitled to be registered." If a person is not entitled to bo onrolled on any electoral roll, ho may not bo elected to a seat in Parliament. It is held by the authorities in law that this section means that P. C. Webb is disqualified from being enrolled ,as an elector, and that ho is therefore ineligible, for election for the Groy seat. There is a slight difference between this clause and tho clause which was mentioned just after Webb was sent to' gaol. That clause provided that if a member were convicted of a crime punishable by death or by imprisonment with hard labour for a term of two years or upwards his seat becamo vacant. On that occasion it was held that Webb's offcnco did not constitute a "crime," but tho legal authorities were not agreed on tho point. They are all agreed that it comes within the definition of "offence" under the other section, and that Webb is not eligible for rc-elecfion. Tho point is one that may be tested in tho courts.