“AS HIGH AS ANY”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21511, 16 September 1944, Page 6

“AS HIGH AS ANY”

STANDARD OF ELECTIONS METHODS W DOMINION PRIME MINISTER’S OPINION (P.R.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 15. When the member for the Bay of Islands, Mr. S. W. Smith (Opp.), told the House of Representatives this morning that his predecessor, Mr. C. W. Boswell, would probably never have been elected but for the dead men who voted for him, he started an interesting discussion on the estimates, of the Electoral Department. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, doubtless having in mind that the Opposition member now represents the Bay of Islands, laughingly suggested that possibly the dead men were more intelligent than the living. Mr. Fraser added that he had heard stories ever since he had been in politics about the nefarious actions of opponents, but his own opinion Was that it was exceedingly difficult, to work any tricks. His experience was that when someone reported that their opponents were doing something irregular it only needed a few questions to blow them out. The standard of elections in Now Zealand was. in his opinion, as high as any on earth. Mr. A. S. Richards (Govt. Roskill), spoke of the circulation of candidates’ portraits on election clay. They did not infringe the law, but he considered this position should be tightened up. He also thought that after several weeks of campaigning the electors were well able to decide how to vote without last-minute interference. Therefore, he favoured an entire political silence two clays prior to voting day.

Maori Elections The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, asked why the Maori elections were held a day earlier than the European poll. It did not make sense to him. As for sugg'cs'.i n‘about the circulation of portraits, the position should be made quite cicalas to whether this was lawful or not The absence of complaints showed that the elections were generally well conducted.

The Minister of Health, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, suggested that the method of postal vqting should be simplified. The present procedure was fairly cumbersome, as two trips had to be made by the person witnessing a signature. The Prime Minister agreed that the postal voting method should be simplified. The electoral officer told him it could be done and that it would be put in hand right away. As far as the broadcasting of speeches was concerned, he would like to get the experience of member's, for he was told that one result was that if a prominent person was broadcasting it. was hopeless for local members, particularly in the country districts, to get meetings. He would like members to think over whether an extension of broadcasting would be really helpful or whether it would be better to limit it to one or two in each party. The Leader of the Opposition: It would be unpopular to change it very much.

Air. Fraser, referring to the question of tickets, literature and colours, said the legislation was framed a long time ago apd was undoubtedly obsolete and very uncertain in some respects. If tickets were n,ot allowed on election day, so advertisements possibly should be banned. The whole position needed to be looked into. .