PARLIAMENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 13 October 1914, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

SEVEN'S VOTES

BT TELEOH.APB—PRESS *Ssoci.vrroN

t xi. 'WELLINGTON. Oct. 12. • £> £ House or Representatives tonight, Hon. F. M. B. Fisher moved thfl second reading of the Legislature Bill. No. 2, which he described <ts mainly a machinery measure. Th© principal clause (clause 7) makes a. radical change in the recording of seamen s votes by compelling them to vote m the electorate in which they are domiciled, or. if they have no domii • J 01* shore; iv the electorate m which the Custom-house is situated at the port at which their vessel is calling on the day of the election. Mr. G W. Russell criticised the Bill Me said it was well known that the seamen wanted to wipe the Minister tor Marine out of the politics of this Dominion, and the object of the BUI was to transfer the whole of the searaeii s votes from Welliueton Ontral to, Wellington North. The Bill lie sam. was to "save the bacon" <*t? the toral Ake ' M&rine- ft Was au elec'

♦/%% w P^* 1?? ,sP eake''s referred to the Hon. Mr. Fi&W's generosity in fianamg all the seamen's" votes to the Minister for Justice tf^wK 8 Rhi° d£ s *& L*« supported the Bill and the Sinister, replying, disclaimed any intention such as had been.attributedto him. He said it *as wrong that seamen should be allowed to concentrate their votes m ■an* one electorate. Th© second, reading; wa3 carried.