REPORT CONFIRMED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 235, 3 October 1936, Page 10

REPORT CONFIRMED.

STATEMENT BY MR. SAVAGE. ABOLITION THIS SESSION. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. • "That provision was slipped through without anybody noticing it —and it will be slipped out again this session," said the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, when asked this morning if it were intended to bring down legislation this session for abolishing plural voting in municipal elections. The attention of Mr. Savage was drawn to the report from Christchurch that definite information had been received that the plural system of voting was to be abolished immediately. He confirmed this report of legislation and said it would be on the lines of the bill introduced by Mr. Semple, as a private member, last year. That Bill consisted of only one clause, and it provided for the repeal of section 13 oi the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Act, 1926. That section provides for the exercise of votes by corporate bodies, unincorporated societies and firms and partnerships. The Prime Minister said there was no objection to a person who owned property being entitled to vote so long as that person could vote only once, but power for a person to exercise half a dozen or even more votes would definitely be abolished this session. Mr. Savage inquired when the Christchurch Tramway Board election would be held, and when informed that it was the last Thursday in November he said the legislation would be in operation long before that.