THE FIFTY POUND "BURST."

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13225, 19 September 1908, Page 8

THE FIFTY POUND "BURST."

A clause in tho Second Ballot Bill which has so far failed to attract the attention its demerits demand is that providing for tho payment by tho State of tho expenses incurred by any candidate through having -to submit himself to a second ballot. The. total amount of such expenses is in no caw to exceed £50, and they shall, "to tho " extent determined by the Minister of " Finance," be <paid to each candidate by the Minister out of the Consolidated Fund, without further appropriation. Wo havo had "the £40 grab," and "tlie £60 steal/ and it seems appropriate to dub this latest raid on tho public Vree "tho £50 burst." Quito apai-t from tho fact that- tho clause breaks entirely new ground, and introduces tho objectionable featuro of State-aidod eleetionoerirjg into our political life, it is difficult to see how any candidate can legitimately incur onetithe of tho amount speaified. A candidate's election campaign boforo tho first ballot may extend over three or four months, ho may address, an unlimited' number of meetings, he may advertise freely, and ho may do it'll in his power, so long as lie is not guilty of corruipt practices, to procure his return. But he must Ivcep his election expenses to within £200. Yet for a second campaign of a week, or at the xv.os3b two wet-fes, during which he may not address, or take part in, a single meeting of electors, no matter how small it may be, nor insert a singlo advertisement in a newspaper, ho is -to bo allowed to spend up to £50 of tho public money. How is he to spend it? With all other methods of electioneering closed to him and his supporters, tho only remaining means by which lie may legally advanoo his causo is a personal canvass of the electors, and to this end it is possible the £50 will allow the extensive uso of motor-cars. Of, one thing wo may bo sure, that most of tho money will be spent in the majority of instances, and probably tho largest bills will bo presented by candidates who aro most careful to keep their ordinary election expenses, which they havo to pay out of thoir own pockets, to tho lowest figure. Of course, tho accounts havo to be passed by th© Minister for Finance, and here again wo see tho vicious tendency to place unwarrantable power and patronage in tho hands of Ministers. Tho Minister will pay tho expenses of candidates to the amount determined by himself. Ho is to bo tho judge, and tho sole judge, whether a candidate's expenses havo been justly and legally incurred. It is manifestly improper that any Minister should' be a bio to pay or withhold money from a candidate as his pieasuro or his partiality may diotate. Tho only person who should be able to pass candidates' accounts for. payment is the Auditor-General. Tho clause, as itstands, opens tho door to favouritism and corruption,. and it is a further proof of the extent to which tbo independence of Parliament has been weakened' that both Chambers. assisted to fix this obnoxious piece of legislation on the Statute Book. .