POLITICAL NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 43, 19 August 1902, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

ELECTORAL LAW. The Electoral Bill, as amended by the Committee of the House of Represents- j tivea, to which it was referred, was brought down this afternoon. The following are the chief recommendations of j the Committee : — The definition of "candidate" has been amended bo as to provide that a candidate must have been nominated three months immediately before the day of election, and it is further made perfoctly clear that only a male is qualified for election. The clause setting forth what are the qualifications of an olector are amended by providing that an elector must either be a British-born subject, a naturalised British subject, or a half-caste aboriginal of New Zealand. Persons wbo» have been absent from the colony serving with His Majesty's naval or military forces, or in any capacity in connection, with such forces, while on active service, including 1 nurses, are also entitled to vote, and are not to be removed from the rolls on. account of such absence. In addition to being liable to a penalty for making a false declaration, the vote of any dne making a false declaration is to be disallowed in case of an election petition. The Committee also inserts several new clauses providing for recounts. When a candidate has reason to doubt the correctness of tho number of votes, ho may within three days after the public notification of the figures apply to a Stipendiary Magistrate for a recount, accompanying his application with a deposit of £20. The Magistrate must, as soon as possible, order such recount to be made, and if thb return is found to be incorrect ho must cause the Returning Officer to publish a corrected statement. He may also make such order as to costs as he thinks proper, and must return the deposit of £20. With respect to the trial of election petitions, the Committeo proposes a new sub-clause, giving the Court jurisdiction to enquire into and adjudicate on any matter relating to a petition in such manner as it thinks fit, and, in particular, the Court may at any time during the trial direct a rebount or scrutiny of the votes given at the election 'to which the petition refers, and shall disallow the vote of every person found guilty of any corrupt or illegal practice or whose name has been illegally placed on the roll. GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS SUPERANNUATION. and important amendments have been made in the Government Railways Superannuation Fund Bill by the Committee of the House to which that measure was referred. The contribution clause lias been entirely redrafted, and now provides that each member shall contribute the following proportion of his pay at each four- weekly period: — Three per cent. ' if his ag« is n6t more than thirty years at the time when nis first contribution becomes payable; five per oent. from thirty to forty yeais; seven ffer cent, from forty to fifty years ; ten per cent, over fifty years. >No payment is to be made -out of the fund before Ist April, 1903 (instead of Ist January, 1904). The clause with regard to tho retiring allowance is altered to provide that every 'contributor whose length of service is not less than forty years, or whose age is not less than sixty years, may retire on giving three months' notice; and for every year of service he will receive one-sixtieth part of lub annual rate of pay, but in no case must tho total yearly allowance exceed twothirds Of such annual rate of pay. The committee has, however, inserted a proviso th»t the Board may, with the consent o\ the Minister,, extend the proviflions of this section to any case where the contributor's service is not less than thirty-five years, but does not amount to forty yeajrs. Clause 17, relating to compensation under the Government) Railways Act, 1887, is struck out, and it; is provided instead that if a contributor voluntarily retires from the service or is dismissed before becoming eutitled to an • allowance, he shall be entitled to » refund of his contributions, together with any compensation to which he is entitled under section 71 of the Government Railway Act. If he dies before becoming entitled to an allowance, his contributions and compensation under the Government Railways Act are to be-, paid to his legal representative. The widow of such a person may, if she so elects, be paid, in lieu of an annual allowance, a lump sum eqtlal to the amount of her husband's contributions, and the compensation payable under the Railways Act. The basis of pay on which an allowance is computed is to b9 the rate of pay the member is receiving at the time of retirement, unless within the previous five years he has served in any lower grade, in which case such pay shall be deemed to be the average rate of pay received during the previous seven years. Where a contributor's pay is temporarily reduced, and where, through aae or infirmity h"6 is transferred to a subordinate position, his retiring allowance will be computed on the maximum rate of* pay he received before such reduction or transfer. The clauses relating to a contribution to the fund by the Government are struck* out, and new clauses are inserted providing that if the fund ennnbt at any • time meet the charges upon it, the Board shall report the fact to 1 the Colonial Treasurer, who shall pay the deficiency out' of the Consolidated Fund. New provisions are also made to apply in cases where payment for accident is made to a contributor under the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act. In case of death the benefits under the Superannuation Act absolutely cease, and where total or partial disability Tesults tho benefits of the Superannuation Act will not accrue during the period to which the payment- relates, except so far as the payment is less than the benefits accruing Under this Act. JOTTINGS. Sir H. J. Miller's term as Speaker of the Legislaiive Council will expire on sth October, and the Counoil vrill then be called on to elect a Speaker. Major Steward's Licensing Committees Quorum Bill provides that if the Stipendiary Magistrate as Chairman is present the quorum shall be three, including the Chairman, or four if he is not present.