THE ELECTION LAWS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 86, 31 December 1887, Page 2

THE ELECTION LAWS.

The question of improving the election laws so as to secure purity of election was one that gained some little attention during the session just closed, and it will probably be raised again next session, The Act of 1881 was based on the attention which was given to the question in England and America, and was stringent in its provisions to procure a free, pure and inexpensive election. After events, however, have only shown how necessary it is to take steps to prevent the evasion of the Act, and to supplement it in various directions. Taking the last elections as a guide there were complaints throughout the colony of roll stuffing, personation and other abuses, which, in many instances, on y proved to be well founded. The facts elicited too clearlv showed to what an ex ent the Act could be evaded, and how much needed was reform. The circumstances sourrounding some of the elections could nut but ‘fail to impress members of the House, and hence the reference to the subject There can be no doubt that a state of things is permitted under the Act which, if not corrected, must sooner or later sap the root of true elective rights.

The Statute was framed with the intention of guarding against any inequality as between man and man in contesting an election, but it almos 1 goes without saying that this has not been realised. The expenses attending an election are increasing year by year and it is only a matter of tune that they will amount to such a lavish sum that the very feeling which prompted the desire to pass the law now existing wil entirely be subverted.

Unfortunately it is not the intention of the Act that has to be considered, but its literal interpretation, and the interpretation is so wide as to per. mitof abuses. The universal franchise now in existence should make every elector proud of the trust imposed in him, and he has no right to be swayed by any consideration, of whatsoever kind, but much that we have seen give a very different lesson. Personal consideration, indirect bribery and promises, have degraded the franchise, the candidates, and the electors Unless some alteration is made in the existing law this general contaminat on will continue. «»

It is very easy for a candidate or his agent to get outstde the four corners of the Act, and it is notorious that a systematic course of wrong doing is permuted by the statute passed to have a contrary effect, and has been the means of electing an inferior class of representatives. The absurdity of " a show of hands ’’at the nomination of candidates was referred to last session. This.custom could well be done away with, for it is altogether unnecessary and useless, and acts as no index of the feelings of the electors, while it is open to much abuse.

I'he whole question will probably be g ne into next session, and judging from the feeling of members an improvement in the present law is almost sure to be made.