ELECTION DAY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 27 April 1914, Page 7

ELECTION DAY.

CHANGES IN THE POLLS ACT.

HINTS FOR BURGESSES

THINGS THAT ARE NOT LEGAL

The burgesses of Hawera are not of a character to need warning, but probably in a general way they would take interest in the following explaining changes in the municipal law: DETECTING DUAL VOTERS. Clause 2 of Section 7 (which deals with dual voting) reads:— "If, on such comparison, it appears that the same person has received a voting paper at two or more polling place®, the returning officer shall open the packets of voting papers used at ithe several polling , places at which euch person appears to have received a voting paper, and shall select therefrom the voting papers on which the number corresponding to the name of that person appears, and shall disallow every vote appearing to have been given by means of the voting papers so se^ lected:" PAINS AND PENALTIES. Section 15 says: "Every person is liable to a fine not exceedimg £20 who at an election—(a) in any way interferes with an elector, either in the polling booth or on his way thereto, with the intention of influencing him or advising him as to his vote; or (b) prints or distributes or delivers to any'person on the day of the poll or at any time during the. three days immediately preceding the poll, anything being, or purporting to be, an imitation of any voting paper to he used- at the poll, and having therein the names of the candidates, together with any direction as to how any person should vote or in any way containing such direction or indication or having thereon any matter likely to influence any vote; or (c) duringl the hours in which the poll is being; taken makes any public demonstration having reference to the poll, by means of living figures, effigies, paintings, . placards, or other like means."

This in. effect means that all touting at polling-booth doors, however, innocent in outward semblance is absolutely prohibited. Not even cards are to be distributed by interested parties. All the glorious old bickerings and trickeries of the "Blues" and the "Buffs" are banished from the scene, and oiw must record is* or her vote in the placid, reflective, holiday-like atmosphere* of polling day. Such is the law. Anyone rash enouah to publish or expose any untrue defamatory statement about a candidate before the close of the poll is liable to a fine of £50 or to impricitmTTient f°r three months. A fin© of £50 is the maximum penalty for any person found guilty of erasing official maraks from voting papers. THE DUAL VOTER'S RISK. The person who finds entertainment in voting at more than one booth in the same election is singled out for special attention. Tho Act says:— "Every person is liable to two years' imprisonment who (a) votes, or offers to vote, more than once at the sfrme election; (h) fraudulenlty ababstracts any voting paper that has been nut in the ballot box; (c) or is guilty of bribery, personation, treating., or undue influence at any election."

It is further decreed that every pers/vn i s liabaV* to a fine not exceedinig -Cso' who wilfully irmkps * fa^e answer to any question which the Returning Officer is authorised to put to him.

LAST ONE-YEAR MAYORAL TERM

The present election is the last at which.the successful candidate will be returned for a one-year term. The latest amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act sets out that from 1915, +be term of office for the Mayor of a borough shall be two years, which will make the election of Mayor and council contemporaneous.