CONCERNING LAND AND ELECTORAL LAWS.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 15, 8 July 1893, Page 7

CONCERNING LAND AND ELECTORAL LAWS.

TO THE EDITOR. . Sir, —Laws that deal with the franchise are always of importance. I believe it is the ntention of the Government to introduce a Bill dealing with the question during the present session ; I think,' therefore, this subject will be of interest, to many of your eaders. Having been a candidate frequently, I had good opportunities for studying the working of our electoral laws. In 18b7, a general election for the Southland Provincial Council took place., I was a candidate for Koslyn District, which returned two members. The votes polled were — Johnston 26, Swale 25, Kinross ,25. The returning officer gave his casting vote for Mr Swale. This was before the introduction of the ballot, so that it was known how each elector voted. I found that several residents of Invercargill all voted for Messrs Johnston and Swale. Before I came to New Zealand I formed the opinion that speculation in land was a most injurious system of gambling, and should be discouraged by every legislature. I found that the law of New Zealand favoured land speculators, and gave them greater voting power than was given > to; genuine settlers. In. Southland several electoral districts returned more , than one member to; the Council. If a speculator purchased land to the value of £SO in each, district, he could vote for 20 members of the Council, and three or the House of Representatives. If a settler spent the same amount in buying, improving, and stocking a farm,-h», had only one vote for the Council, and one for the House.’ The Land Act allowed anyone to purchase 20 acres and upwards of rural land in any part of Southland for £1 per acre; .without conditions as to residence or improvement.: I found that four Invercargill residents who voted .at-Eoslyn election were,hot entitled to’ be on the roll; at the proper time, I lodged objections, and had their names struck off. As the land fund was Provincial revenue,and alterations in Land Acts emanated from Provincial Councils, elections of members of Council were usually of more practical importance than those of members of the House. In letters in the News, and otherwise, I expressed the opinion that only residents in electoral districts should -be entitled to vote, and I have never altered that opinion. Some time after the general election, a vacancy occurred for the town of Invercargill. The late Mr, J. H. Smith visited me at Myross, and stated that he had been deputed by a number of Invercargill electors, who approved of the views I had 'expressed, to request me to become a candidate. He further stated that a committee would take all the trouble and bear all the expense of the election. I thanked him and his fellowelectors, and accepted their offer. I was treated most generously by my committee, and at the close of the poll the votes recorded were —for Kinross 80, for Wright 50, and for Mitchell 17. When I became a member of Council I was a Democrat, I am a Democrat still, and expect to be a Democrat to the end. If I have not been able to advance the cause of Democracy so effectively as some members of the House, the fault has not been mine. At many subsequent elections for the Council, the House, and the County Council, I have suffered from the votes of non-resident electors, so I hope the non-resident vote will soon be wholly abolished. In olden times the Press dealt fairly by me, although not always agreeing with me, as I sometimes got five column reports. —Yours, etc., Akdbew Kinkoss. Myross Bush, 27th June, 1893.