THE ELECTORAL BILL.

Nelson Evening Mail, 24 August 1905, Page 3

THE ELECTORAL BILL.

The evening was devoted to the Electoral Bill, and there was a tremendous discussion about the county quota.,. The most remarkable point was made by the Leader of the Opposition, who showed that Mr Taylor, Mo* EU, and the other Progressives d'id not understand the tjyotia against wlAch they were fulminating. He proved that the' apparent 28 per cent, ot the Mil was rea'lly only 14 per oe-nt. in practice, Mr Tanner agreed in principle but m detail would not reduce lower than 18. Anyhow, collapse of Taylor and Co. An amustog incident was an attack by Mr Duthie on his dhief, Mr Massey, in this connection ior having broken faith with the cities inasmucn as he had vote*! for the merging the city tilple electorates into -singles. The chief rose up and simply swept the floor wltih his retiellio'us follower. ''Was not a memibe-r of tlie House in 188/ when the qkota. was aigireed to alter the faonous stonewall of that year, and therefore not a party* to any compact. Moreover, the city ■electorates were not amalgamated- till threo years later, and, further, ever ■-■rinoe I stood for Parliament 1 have Wten a stanmoh supporter, ci tho single city electorates." Mr Dufhie said notihtog. The '"Post," not always friendly to Government measures, says oi the Electoral Bill that undouibt-ed-Iy the best of the neiv matter in fche BUI ia the clause which provides for the appointment of a ohief electoral officer to superintend the work of Registrars thro^aout the colony, and Mr. Massey was at ■one poinit with 'Minis ter ,in approving the proposal. Without the official status which the bill proposes, JMr Mamsfield has done BdmiitaMe work during the recess J in drilling the Registrars \n scientific methods, ami if bhe Government was as wise in tho Belection of subordinates as it has been in appointing -this excellent officer to the post of chief oi\gamiHer, tnere would lie fewer complaints ol the vagaries of registrars and returning officers. I ___