Electoral Bill.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 66, 15 September 1893, Page 2

Electoral Bill.

NECESSARY AMF.N DMENTS TO LE PROPOSED. The Government have found that one or two verbal amendments are necessary in the Electoral Bill, and these will pro« bably be sent down lo dav by message from His Excellency the Governor for the consideration of the two Houses of Parliament. It is understood that the amendments are merely technical, and are to be proposed with the object of rendering the Bill more workable. One of them, proposed in the Legislative Council by tho Attorney-General and defeated is that the words " on leasehold " shall be struck out in tho following paragraph in the interpretation clause :— " ' Non-residential qiuililicution ' mcaus a freehold or leasohold qualification under this Act of which residence forms uo uarl." The alteration is necessary because thero is no provision in the Bill itself lor a leasehold qualification, and, therefore, tho two words in question in the interpretation clause are meaningless. When these amendments are agreed to thero will be no delay in presenting the Bill for His Excellency's assent. Ministers deny the chargo which continues to be made that they have no desire to see the Bill become law. As the measure, however, is one of considerable magnitude, alTecting the electoral laws of the Colony, it is necessary that the greatest caro should bo oxoivisod, in ordor that its terms may bo Hoar ;m<l oxplitut. Yesterday tho Mmi \V. O. Walker was presented with a b.-itkct of red camellias, to be distributed to ihose Legislative Councillors who oppoKc.l women's franchise. This graceful presentation, which may be regarded as count < c to that which took place the other diy, was accompanied with the following address : — " A committee of ladies of tho city of Wellington I respectively request hon. members of tho Legislative Council who spoke and voted against the franchise being granted to women of tho Colon v, to accept this siniill token of their regard mid esteem for their efforts to allow us to remain in our proper 6pbere apart how politics." — Wellington Times.