THE ELECTORAL BILL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1740, 22 May 1888, Page 3

THE ELECTORAL BILL.

Th« Electoral Bill wan circulated on Saturday. It contains 283 clauses, with appendices illustrating the method of the Hart system. The Bill codifies existing laws, and the main alterations are ■■• a follow ; The dual franchise of the Maoris is abolished, and they are to be restricted in future to votes under the Maori Representation Act, 1867. The general franchise is limited to residents, all property qualifications being abolished. A modification of the Hare system is adopted for returning members at the general election, and for bj-elections where there are more than one man to be elected, based on Sir John Lubbock s plan of a single transferable vote, and the adoption of a similar system is brought into use for determining elections to supply single vacancies. To admit of this adaptation of voting with as little disturbance as possible to the present arrangement of districts, the existing electoral districts of the colony are to be amalgamated into groups, each existing district forming a division of the amalgamated district. The Commission appointed under the Representation Act of lfS7 are to amalgamate the electoral districts fixed by them into not more than fifteen districts for the whole colono, and the city electorates aro to be amalgamated. A system of electors’ rights is introduced whereby every person before his name can be placed on the roll must appear personally before the Registrar, Deputy Registrar, or person having power to act, as Deputy Registrar, to make declaration of his qualification, and obtain a certificate of hjs,-right to vote (called an elector’s right), which he must exhibit at the polling booth before ho can be given a ballot paper. Every elector’s right must basr . the signature of the Tight holder thereof as proof of bis identity, whereby personation is reduced to a minimum. The elector’s right is in force only for three years, jrhea it has to be renewed. A fee of Is is charged for every elector’s right issued. New general electoral rolls are to bo made up within prescribed time after commencement of the Act, of names only of such electors. The general electoral rolls expire every third year in January, and have'to be made up afresh in April from the then holders of unexpired electors’ rights, so that the rolls purge themselves triennially. Supplementary rolls will be issued every year, and a revision will take place annually. The public nomination of candidates is abolished in favor of a written nomiuatien signed by ten electors, and a deposit of £lO is no longer required. Precautions are taken for the si notes t secrecy of the ballot. The public declaration of the poll is abolished in favor of a written netice outside the booth, and advertisements, as in municipal elections. The hours of polling are to be uniform all over the colony, from 9 to 6. The Bill also contains an elaborate provision with respect to coiruft practices and petitions against election. The penalty for illegal employment or hiring is £IOO. Betting on the result of elections is made unlawful, the penalty being £2O, and the payment of such bet is made an illegal payment under the Act.