THE PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1272, 27 August 1872, Page 2

THE PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1872.

ffr was intimated in a recent telegram, ttkat in the House of Representatives, Mr Gisborne had introduced several Bills affecting the franchise and the system of conducting the election of members of the

legislative bodies which are such » 'questionable blessing to the Colony. The Bills, the intention of which were

in tthis telegram very briefly indicated,

3 awe ;three in number— the Electoral Bill, i €he principal subject of which is the fran- | "rihase ; the Provincial Electoral Bill,

Vhich pretends to be merely a convenient consolidation of the existing Provincial 3a\vs ; and the Regulation of Elections

i; .'Bill, which relates chiefly to the mode of ,! ttrial in controverted elections. One cir- j j cumstance which should strongly recomi ; mend these three measures to the favor- ! .able consideration of the House and the I'fconntiy is the fact that, if carried, they ; would consolidate about eighteen of the j Sfttatutes at present in force in the Colony iiti connection with the same subject, but ttiia too first-mentioned measures are those ' iin which the largest amount of public in-

terest is likely to be taken

'The Electoral Bill, as laid upon the *dble of the House, and as shortly de«ombed by Mr Gisborne, deals with what witty be considered the constitutional part

of the subject — with those who elect the members of the House of Representatives. It sets forth what tho franchise should be ; how the electors shall be enabled to avail themselves of the franchise by registering their votes ; and how the rolls shall be made up. The most important of the clauses is that relating to the qualification of electors. The Bill recites the provisions of the Act of 1871, and extends the franchise to the following persons — It allows persons to vote who have been in receipt of salary at the rate of LIOO a year for a period of six months, but they must also have resided six months in the district for which their names have been placed on the roll previous to the exercise of the vote. It also extends the franchise to lodgers who pay not les3 thau L4O a year for board and lodging, or LlO a year for lodging alone ; these persons must also reside six months in the district previous to exercising the vote. The Bill also extends the franchise to ratepayers entitled to vote at highway board elections. That is all the extension, of the franchise which the Bill proposes, the provisions being the same as contained in the Bill which was withdrawn last session in consequence of the late period at which it was brought on, In regard to the qualification of miners, it is expressly provided that only one qualification can be used in any one disrict; that is to say, a person holding a miner' 3 right can only vote in virtue of that right or under the other qualifications proposed in the Bill. With regard to the registrat : on of electors, considerable modification is proposed on the existing system. At present the list of claims to vote is advertised in two newspapers previous to revision by the Returning Officer. It is now proposed to adopt the English system, which requires all claims to be sent by post to the Registration Officer. A change is also proposed with respect to advertising the list of objections. At present the list of objections has to be advertised in two newspapers in the district, but there is no provision for serving the notice of objection on the person against whom it is made. The Bill proposes to do away with the necessiiy of advertising in the newspapers and to provide that the notice of objection shall be served by registered letter conveyed through the post, for which a fee of 2d only will be charged. It is also provided that the objections made by the Returning Officer shall be printed, if considered necessary, and posted in some conspicuous place in the district, and that there shall be a notice inserted in the newspapers stating that a list of objections has been made, and that it can be inspected at such places within the district as the Revising Officer made decide upon ; the plan proposed, it appears, being the practice followed in Victoria, where the objections are always forwarded by registered letter, a duplicate being kept by the postmaster. The law with regard to the revisions of the rolls it is proposed to leave as it stands at present, but a clause from the Corrupt Practices at Elections Act had been introduced into the Bill because it was thought to be proper that it should appear amongst the other regulations. The clause referred to provides that the name of any person guilty of bribery shall be expunged from the roll. This is a simple and fair resume of the contents of the Electoral Bill so far as they differed from the present law, and, as c'-.inied by Mr Gisborne, the advantage over the existing system is that instead of having the law scattered over the present Acts the whole of the parts are concentrated into one Act.

The second Bill, as its name implies, relates to the Provincial electoral system, but it does not materially alter the present law. It deals with the qualification for the election of Superintendents, for members of Provincial Councils, with matters connected with the Provincial rolls, and the mode of determining controverted Provincial elections. It consolidates the whole of the present Acts on the subject, five in number, and forms a sort of handy book.

The third Act "The Regulation of Elections Act, 1872," deals with the conduct of elections of members for the House of Representatives. It also makes provision in regard to corrupt practices at elections, and for the trial and decision of controverted elections. It consolidates five Acts, and is mainly based upon the Act at present in force in England, though omissions are made of such clauses as are not adapted to the different circumstances of the Colonies. Judged by the brief narrative of the clauses of the Bill given, by Mr Gisborne, it will be a considerable improvement upon the present uncertain system which prevails, and which is guided more by precedent than by legal enactment.

The debate on these Bills seems to have been adjourned for a week without much expression of opinion being elicited, but at last one Gold Fields member, a representative of an Otago constituency, considered that the clause relating to the miners* franchise required amendment, and Mr Oraeroft Wilson desiderated that, since the ballot system had been introduced, it should be carried out as the ballot system pure and simple, free from the anomalies which are at present asao ciated with it, and in that desire he can scarcely fail to have the sympathy of every constituency which has experienced the advantages of tho system, and the manifest disadvantages by which, imperfectly organised, it js #till accompanied.

We hear that the Ajax Quarts-Crushing Company at Reefton are unfortunately only able to work ten heads of stampers, owing to delay in procuring stamper-shoes from Nelson. The Charles Edward brought some on Sunday, which will be forwarded by first chance, when the battery will be in full working order.

"Under the GaslJghfc" wss nprformed for the fourth time in Grfi^mowth last /eyeftiug, and, considering the limited popHJlation #f Grey month, and the numbers who have already seen the play, there was a fair attendance. The performance went smoothly, as did the railway train, the steamers, and that wonderful thing in boats in which Mr Burford nightly risks the preservation of his c ntre of gravity. Mr Sam Poole sang very well, as he invariably does, and the other male performers made the most of the light and weak parts of which the piay consists. To-morrow evening, Mr Joe Small will be in possession of the boards, his celebrity as a cyjmic vocalist and caricaturist will, no doubt, secure a large attendance.

Referring to p. letter which appeared in .our issue of yes,te*d*y regarding the quality of the coal now beiug supplied to the barges -at the BiannerMine, we have to /say tfcat jpp have inspected a barge-load of the Ban»s ••atuft'," and tind that at least one-third of the lot is pure dross, which is rejected both by town feayett and by the steamers, thus

entailing a very Be? ere loss upon the local traders. It is certain that no trouble is at present being taken to screen the co«»l properly at the mine, and all the rubbish on hand, caused by the opening out of a new drive is being delivered to the boats as good cool. Such conduct as this h sure to damage the reputation of the aiine throughout the Colony, as wherever it is delivered it will be only looked upon as dross instead of the good solid coal that coWd so easily be produced if it suited the convenience or orders of the Nelson Government officials^ at the mine. There are several" schooners lying in port waiting for cargoes of coal, but, under existing circumstances, we expect that they will prefer proceeding to their destinations in ballast, unless a superior article in the shape of good sound coal is produced within the next few days.

The Ahaura Musical and Literary Society gave another of their enjoyable entertainments on Friday evening, at the Court House, Ahaura. The performance opened with a selection from "Lsa Hugcnots" on the organ by Mr Pownall, followed by readings by Miss Sutcliffe, Messrs Whitefoord, Frank Guinness, and singing by Messrs Pownall aud Greenwood. The latter gentleman read Mark Train's "Jumping Frog," and the unfair advantage one of the " Hoosiers" took of the other, by hanc I .capping the Calavaross frog with a charge ot duck shot, created uproarious fun amongst the youngsters in the audience. In the second part, Mr Whitefoord read " The Last Request," a magazine article, showing the danger of hastily making a rash promise. Mr Guinness fairly convulsed the audience with Mickey <Free's account of the sto»jiing of Ciudad De Roderigo. Miss Sutcliffe read a charming little love story, w .'th a plot and counterplot, and a satisfactory denoument to all concerned. There were several other readings, songs and recitations by members of the Society, and the performance concluded with the National Anthem by the company, assisted by the muaically-iuc v ned portion of the audience.

We notice that Mr F. Dnpre, Mawhera Quay, announces the Bpeedy arrival of an entirely new stock of English and Colonial jewelry, which will be equal to any of the stocks which have lately been shown in town •' for a few days only." Mr Dupre's is one of the oldest established businesses in Greymouth, nd he always retains a Btock which cannot be surpassed by any itinerant dealer.

In accordance with circular a meeting of the Jockey Club Committee was held last night, when Mr M'Millan was elected Treasurer, and Mr Payne, Secretary. A Programme Committee was also chosen, who have been desired to bring up a list of events to be submitted to another meeting to be held this week. The handicaps will be first resolved upon, and immediate publicity gi/en to them upon their approval by the General Committee. It is expected that the County Council v 11 be prorogued to-night.

The Cnromamkl Mail, understands that the result of a test of the tailings of the Bismarck crushing operated upon by Mr Rapson, of the Bank of New Zealand, has given at the rate of 17oz Gdwt Ggr and 250z s"'ver to the ton.

Mr Alfred Jackson, who for many years past has held the position of manager of the Dunedin branch of the Union Bank, has been appointed to a similar post at Wellington, in room of the late Mr Alexander Kerr, and Mr Wm. Jamiesou, the branch accountant, who has been locum tcnents at the Wellington office during the past two years, will resume his former duties of accountant.

The Bruce. (Otago) Herald states that an order has been ri»nfiiv«d from England for Mosgiel tweed, according to samples senc home some time ago.

A telegram from Port Darwin states that gold is widely distributed over the northern territory. The ship Phillis is to be laid on shortly.

Patrick Buckley, a wealthy Victorian settler, recently died intestate, leaving LGO 000 with neither heirs nor next of kiu.

The English birds introduced into Canterbury by the Acclimatisation Society are rapidly spreading over the Pnrwnce. Last week the song of the skylark was heard in. the neighborhood of Opawa ; an English linnet was singing en Sunday in a garden at Avonside, and goldfinches, lirnets and sparrows have been seen ' i the neighborhood of Dampier's Bay. The amounts spent by the various pro■wnees on education during the year 1871, are giving as follows :— Auckland ... ... ... £4800 Taranaki 200 Hawke's Bay 1209 Wellington .. 774 Nelson ... 8034 Marlborough. 912 Westland .. .. ,„ ?50 Canterbury 12,285 Otago 20,917 Total L 49.931 Of the above upwards of four-fifths were contril w *ed by three provinces ouly. The expenditure in Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago, taken together, amounted to L 41,236 : leaving only LBG9S to be spent throughout the rest of the colony. The aggregate expenditure by the Provincial Governments of the North Island was LJO3O ; being less than that of Nelson only, or at the rate Qf not quite 6\ per head of the children between the ages of five and fifteen. On Monday last a futal accident occurred at Patumahoe, in the Auckland Province. It appears that a Mr Worth was felling bush, and his son, of about eleven years of age, was with him. During the forenoon a branch, of a tree struck the boy, and then threw him come yards into the bush, breaking oue arm, a leg, and severely hurting him internally. Mrs Crispe and others paid as much attention as laid in their power to alleviate his suffering, but it was of no avail, as he died late in the evening, suffering much pain, and without having spoken since the accident.

According to Inspector Broham, of the Auckland police, the Provir-ce of Auckland can boast of more yagnnts and drunkards thrn any other province' of Nejy Zealand. As, however, many of these persons have become insane or have died from the effects of intemperance, the Inspector iooks for a reduction in the returrs of vagrancy aud drunker ness.

j Another case which illustrates the clanger ; ,cf leading loaded firearms within the reach of ehildre^, js r,?ppr£ed by the Duuedin papers. On Thursday afjtemoo)3, a s/jfctlpr at Vvickliffe Bay, named Garnpk. went from home to go to his work > and shortly after his departure, Mrs Garvlok having occasion to leave the house for a few moments, left her three children to tbe care of her oldest son, who is about six years old. Ife appears to have lost no time in carr^ Ing out a proposition he made to the younger ones of showing theifr I»,qw to play soldiers. Going to a desk where caps wer/s kpnt, he obtained one, and gettiu ' from an outhoi^e yh.erp it was placed his father's fowling-piece, put the iiap on the nipple, and, returning to the house, pointed the gun at one of his sisters, aged two and a half years, and fired. The report of the diecharge brought Mrs Garrick t> the spot, and she entered the house in time to see her en'iid' dray/ its last broath. The shot had entered £bje' Koor J/ttle thing's abdomen. •■< p