THE BRUCE POLL.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 967, 13 August 1903, Page 2

THE BRUCE POLL.

MR, J. ALLEN’S VALIDATION BILL

PREMIER’S STRONG OPPOSITION

A NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.

P«e Press [Association,

Wellington, last night. On the House of Representatives resuming at 7.30, Mr Jas. Allen moved the second reading of the Bruce Licensing Poll Validation Bill, and urged that the poll having been upset on technicalities the will of the people should be given effect to. Mr Seddon said that a violation of the secrecy of the ballot was involved in this case, in addition to technicalities, and he thought the House would hesitate before interfering with a magisterial decision, which was partly based on an interference with the secrecy of the ballot. The fact that the case was still sub judice was also a grave factor in the matter. The debate was carried on until after 11 p.m., when Mr Duthie moved an amendment that the second reading be postponed for a fortnight, and that Government be asked to bring down a Bill providing for a second poll with the least possible delay, the clause for half of the electors to vote to be inoperative. Mr Seddon asked the House to paqso before passing anything so extraordinary as this amendment, which he accepted as a motion of no-confidence. In his whole experience he had never met with anything like this, and Mr Dnthie’s intention apparently was to give the Government a smack in the face.

The debate was still proceeding at midnight, when tho telegraph office closed.