AUSTRALIANS TESTIFYING TO THE BALLOT.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 569, 9 September 1869, Page 4

AUSTRALIANS TESTIFYING TO THE BALLOT.

Numerous witnesses have been examined by the Parliamentary and Municipal Elections Committee now sitting, and amongst them Mr Verdon and Mr Muir, from Victoria, who spoke of the working of the ballot and of the system of nominating candidates by written papers, and stated that the elections were invariably conducted in a peaceful manner. Mr Dutton, formerly a member of the Legislature in South Australia, was examined on a subsequent day at some length. He stated that he had undergone contested elections, both under the systems of open and secret voting, and he was positive that the adoption of the latter had been greatly in favor of purity of election, as well as of orderly conduct. The introduction of tlie ballot was much opposed in the Legislature ; but he was quite certain that the feeling now was unanimously in favor of it, even amongst those who were formerly against it. On the 25th ult., Sir Charles Dilke, M.P., gave evidence on the methods adopted in France and America, which were inexpensive, not necessarily secret, and generally conducted quietly. The ballot system in Tasmania and New South Wales he described as closely resembling that adopted in Victoria. On the 2nd inst., Mr Fitzgerald, formerly Colonial Secretary of Victoria, was examined. He stated that he had been a returning officer in the colony both before and after the ballot had been introduced there, and he had no hesitation in saying that bribery was now very rare. At the same time it would, no doubt, be open to a candidate to arrange with the leaders of a party to pay a given amount on his return for a constituency. To such a proceeding the ballot would afford no check.