PLURAL VOTING

Evening Star, Issue 22460, 3 October 1936, Page 21

PLURAL VOTING

ABOLITION BILL THIS SESSION "IT SLIPPED THROUGH AND WILL BE SLIPPED OUT " [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, October 3. “ That provision was slipped through without anybody noticing it, and it will be slipped out again this session," said the Prime Minister, when asked this morning if it was intended to bring down legislation this session abolishing plural voting in municipal elections. The attention of Mr Savage was drawn to a report from Christchurch that definite information had been received that the plural system of voting was to he abolished immediately. He confirmed tin's report. ’The legislation, he said, would be on the lines of n Bill introduced hy the Hon. R. Semple as a private member last year. That Bill consisted of only one clause, and it provided for the repeal of section 13 of the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Act, 1926. That section provides for the exercise of votes by corporate bodies, unincorporated societies, and firms and partnerships. _ The Prime Minister said there was no objection to a person who owned property being entitled to a vote so long as that person could vote only once, hut power for a person to exercise half a dozen or evt|n more votes would definitely be abolished this session. Mr Savage inquired when the Christchurch Tramway Board election would be held, and when informed that it was the last Thursday in November he said the legislation would be in operation tong before that.