AMENDMENTS TO ELECTORAL LAWS IN PREPARATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 September 1947, Page 9

AMENDMENTS TO ELECTORAL LAWS IN PREPARATION

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 26. Mr T. C. Webb (Opposition, Rodney), speaking to the vote for the Electoral Department in the House of Representatives today, asked if any steps had been taken toward preparation of a Maori roll. He said he did not raise the matter in any paity spirit, but he knew members of both parties wore anxious io see the roll established. He also asked if anything had been done to prevent a recurrence of honest mistakes such as those which had been revealed during the hearing ot the Raglan petition. Counsel on both sides in the haglan case had suggested to him that consideration should be given to the adoption of the English law which called for close investigation of -t person's qualifications to enrol, but which held that once his enrolment was accepted his right to vote was beyond challenge, said Mr T. H. McCombs (Government, Lyttelton). The Finance Minister (Mr W Nash) replied that preliminary work for compiling the Maori roll was already under way. The preparation might require a year. An amendment to the present electoral law as to residential qualification was also being prepaid, he said, and legislation might be brought down next session. The amendment would remedy defects revealed at Raglan and elsewhere, and consideration would be 'given to following the English precedent mentioned by Mr McCombs, ,