THE ELECTIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3042, 12 November 1908, Page 7

THE ELECTIONS.

The increase in the Public Works Fund appropriations during the present political regime is practically two mililons sterling a year, thus —lß9l, £753.696; 1908-9,£2,436,450. With £70,000 for the Hutt Railway, £165,000 for Railways authorisation, £50,000 for loans to local bodies, and supplementary estimates, the total for the current year will be well over two and three-quarter millions.

All over the country thoughtful men regard the Government's financial policy with the gravest misgivings. They know that no country •can go on borrowing hs New Zealand has done without having, sooner or later lo pay the inevitable price of wild extravagance. Mr George -Hutchinson, referring to this matter in a tecont speech at Wanganui, pointed out that from the time when the excess of our exports represented a surplus of four millions or thereabout the Dominion had passed to the time —the first for many years — when it was tace to face with a deficit of over a million and a quarter on the balance of trade. What was the Government doing to meet this change? They were proposing increased expenditure in every direction, and seeking to commit the Dominion to examples of flagrant extravagance that exceeded even those of prosperous years.

The "Mataura £n3i'gn" has a few words to say on the Government's financial policy, which are worth consideration:—"Public money does not drop from the skies like manna. It is raised by taxation and by borrowing. Every man, woman and child contributes in some measure ta the fund accruing from taxation, and every industry, every stick and stone ot property, and every broad acre ot land is mortgaged as security for the borrowed capital." The "Ensign" further points out the Government's "feverish anxiety to sweep the board of the last vestige of opposition, to dispose of every safeguard to the people's rights in Parliament, cannot mean anything else but a determination to loose itself from everything savoring of hea'lhy restraint and to be ridden of dispassionate criticism upon its financial operations."

WHAT THE LAW FORBIDS. •In order that the election game in New Zealand may be played absolutely "on the square," the Legislature has from time to time made a number of rules. Some of them might be quite inadvertently infringed by electors who do not study the Statute Book. Hence this forewarning, says the "Dominion." Nobody must in any way interfere with an elector on his way to the polling booth, or after lie gets there, for the purpose of influencing him or advising him as to his vote, either at the electoral or licensing poll. The printing and distribution of mock ballot papers (Parliamentary or licensing) containing directions ''how to vote" is forbidden not only on polling day, but also during the days immediately p-eceding it. As polling day this time is on Tuesday next, and as Sunday does not count, this prohibition comes into force on Friday next. While the poll is being taken nobody is allowed to make any public demonstration about it. There must be no display of living figures, effigies, paintings, placards, or anything of the sort during polling hours.

"Bands, torches, flags, banners, cockades, ribbons, or other marks of distinction" are not expressly I tabooed, but anyone who pays or ! contracts to pay for such things for ! the purpose of promoting the election of a candidate is liable to a maximum fine of £IOO. The exhibiting of bills, address! s, or notices is in the same category, and these clauses are not confined to election day or any specified period. No money must be paid by anybody for conveying electors to or from the poll, by train, steamboat, or carriage. It will surprise some people to learn that every person who "makes any wager, bet, or other risk of any nature upon the result of any election" is guilty of an illegal practice, and liable to a fine not exceeding £2O. No intoxicating liquor may be sold on any license"] premises between 12 o'clock noon and 7 in the evening on election cay. The above rules may be found set out in legal terminology in the Legislature Act and the Licensing Act, together with clauses about the grosser offences of bribery, intimidation, personation, and the like, and other matters which affect the candidates and officials rather than the voting public.