The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, APRIL, 7, 1891. The New Electoral Bill

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 122, 7 April 1891, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, APRIL, 7, 1891. The New Electoral Bill

» It has been semio fficially announced a new Electoral Bill will be introduced next session, which is intended to complete the one man one vote system by applying it to by-elections, and requiring the voter to register in one district only. A public holiday is to be declared on the day of the generalelection to give every man a chance of voting. After < election the rolls will be purged by taking off the names of every man who did not vote. These steps it is anticipated will induce every man who can to vote..' Every .facility will be given for registration of electors. The most objectionable" feature in the measure is ■ that by which a public holiday is to be declared on the day of the general' election. That means the masters or employers of labour in the colony, who have electors working for them, . will be mulcted in one day's pay for ' each man. If this ' law comes into operation the result may be that in 1 factories, where large numbers -of ' persons are employed, a system which already obtains in some large establishments in England, will be introduced, under which all .employes are 1 paid for their day's work when they leave in the afternoon, and they are ( . taken on the next working day if >' their services are required. - Under this plan the employers are not compelled to pay for work which is not done, as is the case in New Zealand, on public holidays. In very many f instances it must prove a great hardship on industrious and honest persons who are really desirous of giving a 1 fair day's" labour for a fair .day's < wage, to have" an idle day forced npon them whether they like it or not ; especially in a country like England where the struggle for existence is so hard. We would be sorry indeed to see our fellow workers m New Zealand driven to similar straits. Yet that is -what may happen here if this Electoral Bill becomes law mjts present crude form. Why an elector , should require eight hours to go to the nearest polling booth to record his vote is one of these things only understood by those who " play to the galleries. 7 ' Sensible business mau, who have some knowledge of the fifc--7 ness of things, can only condemn au<l 3 pity, at the same time, the authors of such a proposal. '