ELECTION EXPENSES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 182, 3 August 1944, Page 5

ELECTION EXPENSES

Substantial Cuts Sought In Britain REPORT TO PRIME MINISTER LONDON, July 31. Substantial cuts in the cost of Parliamentary elections are recommended by the Speaker's Conference, in a report presented to the Prime Minister. The report also strongly deprecates the payment by members of the House of Commons and candidates of subscriptions to local charities, and payments to party organisations designed to influence the choice of candidates. The chief proposal is that, instead of the present permitted expenditure of sixpence per elector in a country constituency, and fivepence in a borough, candidates should be allowed to spend up to £450, plus three half-pence per voter in country constituencies, and one penny in a borough. The effect of this would be that in large divisions the maximum expenditure of candidates would be reduced from £5000 to £750. In average constituencies with 50,000 voters, the maximum would be reduced from £1250 to £525. The conference attached great importance to the exercise of the franchise by members of the Services, and suggested the possibility of elections in the field, i __^^_^^____ JUNKERS' SILHOUETTE GISBORNE PILOT'S VICTIM Rec. 10 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 2. A Junkers 88, dropping flares over an American position in Normandy early to-day, silhouetted itself and presented an Ideal target to a New Zealand Squadron Mosquito nightfighter pilot, Flight-Lieutenant Peter Hall, of Gisborne, whose squadron belongs to the base defence group of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force. He swooped down and with a burst of only two seconds set fire to the Junkers' fuselage starboard engine. It dived to the ground and exploded. Flight-Lieutenant Hall now has seven victims to his credit. Last week he destroyed two in one night. ALLIED SHIPS CHANNEL ISLANDS BY-PASSED Rec. 2 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 2. Commenting on a German news agency report that fresh American troops and war material are disembarking south-west of Avranches, Reuters naval correspondent says this is the first indication that Allied naval vessels are operating on the west coast of Cherbourg Peninsula to supply the Americans. There is no Allied confirmation of the' report, which, if true, means that Allied vessels have by-passed the formidable Channel Island defences. . _.