THE BRUCE POLL.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 965, 11 August 1903, Page 3

THE BRUCE POLL.

DEPUTATION ,TO PREMIER,

(Per Press Association.) i WELLINGTON, last night. A deputation from Otago waited lon the Premier, and asked him to I take steps to validate the local opI -tion poll for the Bruce Licensing District, such poll having been declared void by, Mr Cruickshank, S.M. I The electors had, by a majority of 847, declared in favor of no-license. llt was stated that the deputation, lin asking that a .Validation Bill be I passed, were not seeking for license I ing legislation, and more than was J done when a county council election or poll had been upset after some informality. What they wanted was I the validation of an informal ‘ act, I not the legalising of an unlawful one [ Mr James Allen, member for the j district, said he hoped he would get I an opportunity to move the second J reading of Ills Bill to meet the situ- I

1 1 anon. 1 The Premier, in reply, admitted : I that the position had been put to I him in a moderate manner, b|ut the I question involved a matter which to I his . mind was larger and more imI por'tant than anything affecting the I interests of the trade or of ProhibiI tionists. Any legislation would I have to be retrospective, and it I would set aside the deliberate judgI ment of the Court. .When the depuI tation asked him to support a Bill I which would declare that the deci- j I sion of a Magistrate should he set I aside, and this notwithstanding a violation of : the law which had taken place, they would see that it re- j .quired retrospective legislation. It j I was something. entirely without pre-} cedent. If application" were made I to have made valid any election . to 1 the General Assembly that had been- | declared void, there would be such a I

feeling of indignation throughout the I colony that it would be hard to say .what the result would be. In the I I present instance, both parties made I I requests to Parliament, one that I the poll (should be validated, and the I other that relief should be given in I quite another direction. It. would, I therefore, be out of place for him to J say, more than that he would, place I I the representations of the deputa- I tion before Cabinet., I-Ie did not I believe there was “one ground on I which the Magistrate declared the I election void which could be treated I as, a technicality. He could not lis- I ten to the suggestion that it was I technicality. It was the violation I of an Act, the principles of which I

Parliament safeguarded in the interests of the people’s freedom. .Thera had been a gross violation of the principles of the ballot. It was his j earnest desire to fairly as between both parties, an-dj it was almost impossible to support retrospictive legislation. The question of dealing with the present position was now before the House, but while the whole' subject was under consideration by the law courts, could they presume that Parliament would interfere, and say that the. course of the law. shall' be stopped ?