NAPIER.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3345, 11 September 1879, Page 2

NAPIER.

Wednesday. Tho Electoral Bill. Speaking on the Government Electoral Bill at Haveloek last night, Mr Ormond said he had atWnipa said he would support this measure. He now, wishes to withdraw this promise, which was made before he bad examined the bill. He had lately read it and found it one of the most illiberal of measures. In the first place, they would no doubt be surprised to learn that this bill proposed to perpetuate and continue the double Maori rote; and in the second place, the machinery of the bill was mo3t unjust to a large portion of the population, and would practically disfranchise them. Clause 16 provided that " every male Maori of the full age of twenty-one years, who is not enrolled under this Act in-respect of a rating qualification shall be qualified to vote iv election of members of the House of Representatives if he bo seized at the law, .or in equity immediately, or derivatively under a grant from the Crown as sole owner or as owner of any undivided share of lands for his own life, or the life of any other person, or for large estate, or clear value twenty-five pounds at least, and being so seized foe six months previous to date of his claim or vote." As an instance of how this would work, he 'might'mention a block of laud not far from this place,.where there were 150 names on the Crown grant. Under this clause the whole of them would be entitled to vote. The block was of poor land, and would not support more than eight or ten Europeans, who would be able to qualify* instead of the hundreds of natives now on the rolls. There must be thousands if this clause was carried. When dealing with the residential qualifications it was provided that every person claiming under it should take out nn ejectors right. To obtain this right he,"m"uit apply in person to the Registrar .Officer ~qf Xhe electoral district in which ho resided, and in the presence of the Returning Officer sign a book for the. purpose, and pay a fee of two shillings. -Cfti? Maori could go either to a Returning] plpcet.or to any R.M:, and he had to pay no' fee. These clauseswould disfranchise a large proportion of dwellers in country districts. A settler at Woodville oivNoreewood- claiming under the residential,qualifications sr.puld. v have to pay* aWffait'tb 1 Wfpier 16 regifier himself, ft»d tow-Why*, would ~m this ? Qf this,* however, he felt certarßy- the House would never pn«s this bill, but would pass that of 1878 instead.

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WEitiN&ToJsr, Last night.

It is asserted"on good authority that at one of ' the Taranaki elections, one polling place was closed throughout the day of election.