BAHAMA TORIES

Grey River Argus, 24 November 1944, Page 7

BAHAMA TORIES

DUKE OF WINDSOR’S JOURNEY SECRET BALLOT DENIED ELECTORS NEW YORK, November 21. The "New York Time’s” Nassau correspondent says: The Duke of Windsor, Governor General of the Bahamas has prorogued until December 4 the 215 year-old Bahamas legislature after the House of Assembly had rejected a bill providing for the introduction of the secret ballot for the election of the legislature. Ever since the 1940 industrial riot at Nassau, people have clamoured for the introduction of the secret ballot at the elections. The Bahamas is the only place in the democratic world where the open ballot is still used. _ A. commission appointed after the riot, recommended the introduction of the secret ballot. The Duke of Windsor said, that he doubted whether the House fully considered the decision, which must have repercussions throughout the colony and also outside. “Under these circumstances,” he said, “I feel that the House would like an opportunity or reconsidering its decision,” he said. He added that he was disappointed that th e House also did not pass amendments to the Trades Union Act ,anfi Workers’ Compensation Act. The Bahamas labour legislation was so illiberal that the colony was not able to participate in the benefits of the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund, under which the British Government was undertaking large-scale colonial developments. The Duke predicted that the colony’s yearly revenue would reach £660,000. The “New York Times” says that this is the highest since the heyday of bootlegging to America during the prohibition era. areadays- sedballots