THE ELECTORAL LAWS.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2550, 20 April 1871, Page 2

THE ELECTORAL LAWS.

Mr W. 11. Reynolds, M.H.R., delivered a lecture on this subject at Cave;sham last evening, under the auspices oi the local Mutual Improvement Society. After explaining the various electoral measures which had been adopted in this Co’ony. and more particularly the Ballot Act, he pointed out that the latter required amendment in the following particulars : —lst. To abolish all personal nominations at the hustings, and to substitute written nominations signed by the candidate and two electors. Under this amendment every candidate would go to the poll, or might withdraw, as at present, by giving forty-eight hours’ notice before the polling hour. Thus there would be no necessity for the returning officer calling for a show of hands at the hustings. 2nd. That every candidate deposit with the returning officer a fixed sum, say of from L2O to L3o—the same to be forfeited to the Crown unless the candidate polls say onefifth of the. votes polled by the highest candidate at that particular election. Such an amendment would prevent any harlequin contesting an election unless he were prepared to pay for the sport. He was of opinion that no bona fide candidate would object to making this deposit, seeing that it would be returned to him if he polled the stipulated number of rotes. 3rd. He would like to make provision to do away with election committees, together with the heavy expenses to which candidates are too frequently liable. If we are to continue to vote by ballot, let us do so in the true sense ; let every elector be left to vote for the candidate ho approves of, without outward pressure. Mr Reynolds further stated that in his opinion the law connected with disputed elections was very unsatisfactory, and required immediate amendment. A.comparatively simple process might be adopted, whereby disputed elections might be enquired into, and this too with little or no expense either to the Government, to the bona yfde candidate, or to the constituency. A person disputing »n election should be.

required to make out, sign, and transmit to a Judge of the Supreme Court a written statement setting forth in full the grounds of his objection to any particular election, being required at the same time to deposit a sum of say LSO with the Registrar of the Court. On receipt of such objection the Judge to take the allegations contained in the statement into consideration, and if they should appear to be well founded, he shall issue his order to the clerk' of the House of Representatives, and the clerk,of committees or to the registrar of the Supreme Court, to examine the ball of papers connected with the election in question, and to report to him the result of such investigation in writing, duly signed and certified to by the officers in question. Upon the judge receiving the report it would be for him to consider the pros and cons, to decide as to the legality of the election, and act accordingly. This wild be effected without the intervention of the legal prof ssion, and consequently would involve little or no expense. If the judge consider the objection frivolous, groundless, or vexatious, the deposit to be forfeited to the Crown.