PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume X, Issue 1935, 21 May 1888, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

THE NEW ELECTORAL BILL.

(by telegraph.) (fbom our own correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, May 19. The Electoral Bill has been circulated. This bill codifies, with certain alterations and amendments, all the laws relating to electors and elections for the House of Representatives, inclusive of the law relating to corrupt practices and election petitios. The main alteratione made in the existing laws by the bill are the following :— The dual franchise of Maoris is abolished, and they are to be restricted in future to their votes under the Maori Representation Act, 1867; the general franchise is limited to residents, all property qualifications beiug abolished; a modification of Hare's system is adopted for returning members at the general elections, and for bye elections, where more than one member is to be elected, based upon Sir John Lobbook's plan of a single transferable vote, and an adoption of a similar system brought into use for determining elections to supply single vacancies. To admit of this adoption of voting with as little disturbance as possible to the present arrangement of districts and the maintenance of electoral rolls existing, the electoral distriots of the colony are to be amalgamated into groups, each existing district forming a division of the amalgamated district. Each division will have its separate electoral roll and polling places, the votes given at a poll being thrown into a general account of the votes obtained from all divisions of the district, and the general result for the district is thus ascertained.

The ayetena of electors rights is introduced whereby every person, before his name can be placed on an electoral roll, must appear personally before a registrar or deputy registrar, or postmaster having power to act as deputy registrar a make a declaration of his qualification and obtain a certificate of bis right to vote (" Balled electors, 11 ) which he must exhibit at the polling booth before be can be given a ballot paper. Every elector's right must bear the signature of the right holder thereof as proof of his identity, whereby personalism is reduced to a minimum, and an elector's right is in force only for three years, and has to be renewed. A fee of one shilling is charged for every elector's right issued. New general electoral rolls are to be made up within a prescribed time after the commencement of the Act. Only such electors who have taken out electors rights np to that time since the commencement of the general electoral rolls can vote. Bolls are made up every third year in January) and are to be made up afresh in April from the then holders of unezpired elector's rights, so that the rolls purge themselves trieDniallly. In every year intervening between the making up of a new general roll, supplementary rolls are made up in every year. A revision of the rolls takes Dlaoe in the interval of the tbree months in each year from April to June, and during this interval no person can be registered* The pnblio nomination of candidates is abolished in favor of written nominations, signed by not less than ten electors, the depoiit of £10 being no longer required. The ballot papers are to

have a counterfoil, whereon is written the secret mark indicating the person to whom the ballot paper is given, the counterfoil remaining in the bands of the returning officer. The ballot paper given to the voter bears nothing on its back except the name of the district and the number of, the paper, so that secrecy of the paper is perfected. The public declaration of tbe result of the poll is abolished in favor of a notification posted on the outside of the principal polling place and published in the newspapers, as is the rule in municipal elections. The provisions relating to corrupt practices and the trial of election petitions have been extended from the several Imperial Acts and omissions made good in existing laws. The principle is uniformity of closing of poll throughout tbe colony at tbe same hour ; the advantage obtained by granting an extended hour within certain particular plaoes not being deemed commensurate with the objection to an exceptional law on elections.

WELLINGTON, May 21.

Eeplying to a deputation tbiß morning, Mr. Mitchehon said it was not probable that the question of tbe railway rout 6 would be decided tbis session, as it would take another three or four months to complete the survey at preßent in progress. Replying to a farther question, be said he would favorably consider, and probably recommend, the recovery to the North Island railway fund of money spent on such purposes as snagging the Wanganui river.

Mr. Andrew McLean, of the Plains, has gone to tbe hospital for treatment for a poisoned hand.

Captain Edwin wires : — North to west and south-west gale ; glass will fall witbin twelve hours, but will rise after ten hours, with much colder weather.

Mr. Daniel Hughes has been laid up for tbe past week from the effects ot a very severe cold resulting in internal inflammation. He is gradually improving.

There is considerable disappointment expressed in Manaia on account of the decision of the Hawera Cboral Society not to perform " Martha " at Manaia. We understand that the principal difficulty is the want of dressing roomß. There are four changes of dress on tbe part of some oi tbe performers.

Additions are being made to the Bank of Australasia, Manaia, with a view of providing a residence for the manager. The work has been entrusted to Mr. Syme, of Hawera, who has, so far, made a capital job. The internal arrangement of the bank haß been slightly altered, so as to allow of a fireplace in the main office.

The Wanganui Herald special wired to that journal on Saturday: — The Naval and Military Settlers Bill provides for grants of J3O to each of tbe following Wanganui settlers — W. Crozier, D. Philip, and W. McLaughlin. Colonel Noake receives tbe sum of F. Baldwin, of Turakina, Jobn Dunn, of Hawera, and John Pullinger, of Maxwelltown, receive £30 each.

" Rough on Catarrh" corrects offensive odors at once. Complete cure of worst chronic cases; also unequalled as gargle fordiphtheria, sore throat, foul breath. 4