LOCAL ELECTION BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 12661, 15 September 1904, Page 3

LOCAL ELECTION BILL.

'discussion by the.liberal and ; labour federation. ' ! Ax last night's meeting of the Auckland ! branch of the Liberal and Labour Federai tion, Mr. P. J. Merheny (the president), re- ! (erring to the Local Elections Bill how before ! the House, expressed disapproval of the j clause which provided for the closing of the : polling-booths at sis o'clock. Many of the I working men could not get to the booths by ' that hour, and he considered it should be I extended to seven o'clock. He also thought • the clause providing that not more than sis voters shoulcs be allowed inside a booth, nor more than one in the inner compartment at one time, was absurd. There might be .100 voters at the door at closing time, and only j six would be allowed to vote if the clause ! was passed. I The Hon. W. Beehan said he had no i doubt any objections made by the branch I would be considered by the gentleman whose ! name was at the head of the Bill. He agreed with the president that the latter clause ! referred to was absurd, in that it might I debar many voters who might arrive just j before the "time for closing the poll from voting at all. They should frame a resolu- { tion and forward it to the proper quarter I as soon as possible, and at the same time j should ask M.H.R.'s for the district to ! endeavour to have the matter rectified in | the committee stage. j Mr. R. McVeagh said that it would be best to try and have the clause amended to provide that a specified number of voters should be allowed in a booth for each inner compartment contained in the booth. Mr. T. Ha-rle Giles considered that the j rules governing Parliamentary elections should apply also to municipal or local eke- ! tlons. I Mr. Beehan said he would certainly not help to make the clause in question law. I Every one at the booth at the prescribed ' hour for closing ought to be let in. j Mr. H. A. Kitchens moved: " That the I matter be left to the executive." Mr. W. Gulliver seconded. Mr. McVeagh moved as an amendment, " That seven o'clock be inserted in the Bill as the closing time, instead of six o'clock." This was carried, and it was also resolved : "That clause 19 be amended to read ' That all voters at the poll at the hour of closing ' be allowed inside the booth.' " I With regard to clause 20, providing that, ! in the case of blind or illiterate persons, the j returning officers should be empowered to j record their votes for them, the president ' said many people of the kind named would feel they had no guarantee that the returning officer "would vote as they desired. He 1 thought such voters should" be allowed to have their own escort into the voting compartment. Otherwise many would refuse to go to the poll. After some discussion it was resolved: "That the words ' with such scrutineer as may be desired' be added to the clause in question."