NEW BILLS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 189, 7 August 1878, Page 4

NEW BILLS.

(New ZealanderJ) Bill— (Hon. Mr Stout). — liiis is a v.iiuiuMiisua Bill of 169 clauses, and is divided into a number of parts. It consolidates the eotire electoral law, and repeals sections 7, 8, and 42, of the Consiituti n Act, and the whole of the Acts relating to the qualification of electors, and miners' representation, Tt is to come into force on the lat of January. All existing rolls, appointments, &c, are saveJ, and pending proceeding are to be completed. Tbe qualification for electors ia defined as follows : — Every male pereon of the full age of 21 years not ■abject to any legal incapacity, and being a natural born or naturalised subject of Her Majesty, if (a) he is seized at law or equity of lands or tenements for his own life, or for the life of any other person, or for any larger estate of the clear value of £25 at the least, and has been seized of sucb estate for six months previous to tbe date of claim to vote. (Jb) li he is a householder withia the eleotoral district previous to tbs date of his claim to vote, (<?) If he has resided for two years in tbe Colony aud for six months in the electoral district, previous to the : date of his claim, aad is possessed jof or entitled to no other qualification for

tiie district Tn whicli W* claims. Per-! f OO9 iYV ra^'i% er 3 roll are also to; bo emitted to vote, and . Maoris on the I ratepayers roiM are to be e'fttWeii to yoteg. The Bill d&°a not affect the Maori Representation Act, Persons Btamftbg for more thau one seat at a general election, if elected for both, VnUfit within 28 days choose which he will retain. Claims to 9ote fiiay be sent in at any tlffie of the year upon forms given in thn schedule for each qualification. Clerks of local bodies must aend io ratepayer rolls within the first 14 days of August In Baeh year. In the first weeks of March and September in eßch year, tho Registration Otfccer must make up electoral rolls for each district, und these must he posted up in April and October. Objections may be lodged b'li't if the fteoistration Officer e'dh&idera any objection ie trivolous he may require a deposit of £5, which, if the objection is not sustained, may be applied to paying the costs of the person objected to. The Registration Officer is "to send to tbe address bt the person objected to a copy of the objection, and lists of the objections are also to be posted up. Every holder of a miner's right or business license on the Ist January, 1879, may claim to vote during that year. Revision Courts are to sit in May and November of each year. The nomination of candidal at any elecfciou must be by not leas than five electors, must be in writing, must be given to the Returning Officer before 6 o'clock on the day before tbe nomination day, and mu&t have on it the candidate's consent to stand. On polling days all the public-houses within the district are to be kept closed during the hours of the poll under a penally of not less than £50. The poll is to be open from 9 a.m to 8 p.m. In certain cases polls may be adjournel. In otber than the above respects the provisions of ' the Bill do not differ materially irom those of the present law. Bribe bx Bill— (Hon. Mr — Tbis is a long Bill of 68 clauses, to prevent corrupt practices at elections and to make provision for the trial of election petitions. It repeals the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, and the Election Petitions Act aud Amendment Act. The provisions against bribery, corruption, undue influence, treating, use of banners, music, colors, cockades, cominittees sitting in public houses, &c., are even more stringent than those of the present law, and ample machinery for the due punishment of persons convicted of such offences is made. Election petitions are to be tried by a judge of the Supreme Court, and if questions of fact arise he may sutnmon a jury to assist him. A candidate found guilty of bribery is to be disqualified from sitting in Parliament for five years, or from being an elector of the Colony, or holding any municipal office or judicial office, or being a justice of the peace for a like period, Any person not a candidate ia to be subject to similar disabilities.