ELECTORAL LAW

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 15 April 1939, Page 7

ELECTORAL LAW

LABOUR’S ATTITUDE COMPLETE OVERHAUL NECESSARY United Press Association l WELLINGTON. This Day. A complete overhaul of the electoral law, both Parliamentary and local body, is necessary, in the opinion expressed by the committee which considered electoral remits when reporting to the annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party yesterday.

The committee recommended: The purging of the rolls; that postal votes be accepted at any booth of any electorate; that mechanical aids for voting be inquired into by the Minister; that the party represented by candidates be stated on ballot papers, to apply to local body elections only; and that the question of Maori elections being held on general election day be referred to the Maori Advisory Council.

Further recommendations were: That the Parliamentary franchise be used for all local body elections, including postal and absentee voting; that all local body elections be held on Saturday; that employees may be candidates; that the suggestion that the non-payment of rates should not disfranchise electors be referred to the Minister of Internal Affairs for close investigation before action is taken; that payment for services of members of local bodies be referred to the Minister for his favourable consideration.

These recommendations were adopted. Proposals rejected included: The advocacy of an increase in the amount allowed to be expended by candidates, on the ground that the law at present did not limit the amount; shorter residential qualifications for voters; compulsory voting; the prohibition of propaganda within seven days of election; the ward system in local body elections; schools committees to be elected on a municipal franchise; the appointment of Government representatives on all local bodies.