CIVILLY "DEAD"

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 140, 10 December 1935, Page 10

CIVILLY "DEAD"

A CUKIOUS ELECTION

INQUIRY INTO LEGALITY

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.

...In no uncertain terms, the manner of Mr. M. E. Lyons's election to the board of governors of the Canterbury Agricultural College at Lincoln as .representative of the Canterbury members of the Legislature was condemned at this morning's meeting of the board. Mr. E. J. Howard, M.P., whose seat on the board will be taken by Mr. Lyons, went so far as to describe the election in which Canterbury members of Parliament were debarred from voting; as "the prettiest piece of jerrymandering ever put over" since he had been; in public life..

. The whole question turned on whether from the time of the dissolution of Parliament members of Parliament ceased to be members of the Legislature. Under a ruling, of the Director of the College (Professor Alexander), who acted as returning officer,-members of Parliament were declared to be civilly dead and debarred from voting. In the election of-a member which took place before the recent General Election under this ruling the only voters were four members of the Legislative Council, who were, named as the Hon. K. Heaton Rhodes, the Hon. W. Hay ward, the Hon. D. Buddo, and the Hon. L. M. Isitt. Mr. Howard this morning contended that under the Civil List Act members of Parliament were paid from the date of their election until the date of the next election and therefore they remained members until the time of that election. Furthermore, he contended,' even if members were struck off the roll of voters, the two Canterbury' Cabinet Ministers at the time, the Right Hon. G. W. Forbes and the Hon: J. Bitchener, should have remained on the roil. On this count alone it was submitted that the election was invalid. -

A suggestion made by Mr. H. S. S. Kyle, M.P., was that in the circumstance Mr. Lyons should resign his seat and that a fresh election should be held in. which present members of Parliament could participate.

After a lengthy discussion it was decided to set up a committee consisting of the chairman (Dr. Denham), the Hon. D. Buddo, and Mr. Kyle, to report upon the method of the election, and in particular to make such inquiries as might be necessary concerning the validity of the recent election.

• John Mcllwee, a second offender for drunkenness, was fined £1 in default 48 hours' imprisonment by Mr. T. H. Coltm'an, J.P., at a sitting of the Mount Cook Police Court .today.