OVERSEAS SOLDIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24419, 3 October 1940, Page 8

OVERSEAS SOLDIERS

FULL ELECTORAL RIGHTS A SAFEGUARDING MEASURE LICENSING ISSUE INCLUDED ‘From Oub Parliamentary ReporteS) WELLINGTON, Oct. 2. The electoral rights of members of the armed forces serving overseas and of other persons associated with the forces are safeguarded by . the Electoral Amendment Bill, which was introduced in the House of Representatives to-day. The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, said the Government had intended all along to bring in such a Bill, but the possibility of a byelection having to be held in the Waipawa electorate had . expedited its introduction. • Any person serving with the forces outside New Zealand, except one receiving an annual or permanent salary as a member of the forces, will be eligible to become a candidate for Parliament whether or not he is registered as an elector of any electoral district. Consent to the nomination of any such person may be signified to the returning officer in any manner approved by the chief electoi’al officer. Members of the forces are to be qualified to vote on the licensing issue as well as on the election of members of Parliament. Where their names are on the roll of any particular district, they will be able to vote as electors of that district: but. even if their names are not on a roll, they will be qualified to vote as electors of the district m which they usually lived immediately before leaving New Zealand. This safeguard also applies to persons who have returned to New Zealand after serving overseas. The validity of elections or polls cannot be questioned because of any illegality arising out of the Bill or the regulations made under it. No regulations are to be deemed to be invalid on the grounds that they delegate to or confer on the GovernorGeneral or any other person any discretionary authority. No member of the Legislative Council or of the House of Representatives is to lose his seat through joining the forces or receiving military pay, and similarly members of the forces are not to be prejudiced from becoming members of the Legislature. The Bill was read a first time .