MAORI ELECTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22900, 1 December 1937, Page 15

MAORI ELECTIONS

CHANGES IN SYSTEM SECRET BALLOT PROVIDED REMOVING A GRIEVANCE [llT TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] "WELLINGTON, Tuesday Alterations which are proposed in the methods of conducting Maori elections were the subject of divergent views during the debate on the Electoral Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-day. The bill aims at placing Maori voters substantially 011 the same footing as Europeans. The present system of Maori voting placed the Maori in a position of inferiority, said the Attorney-General, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, in opening the debate on the bill. The new method would provide a ballot paper in the same way as was done for European voters, and the Maori would adopt the European practice of striking out the name of the candidate for whom he did not wish to vote. There would also bo provision for scrutineers, as in European elections. Present Verbal Voting , "These provisions are to remedy what has been considered by the Maori, people as a long-felt grievance," Mr. Mason continued. "At present the Maori votes by word of mouth. He has no ballot paper, and is merely asked for whom he wants to vote. The name is then written down. Under the present system, apparently to ensure greater secrecy, the candidate is not entitled to have a scrutineer." Mr. Mason explained that the amendments -would provide for questions to be asked a voter on tho lines of those asked a European when applying for enrolment. Tho Maori voter would then be gi-ven a ballot paper, and his voting would follow the procedure adopted for Europeans. There was only one real difference left —in the Maori electorate no provision was yet made for a roll. There were certain practical difficulties about forming a roll which at the present stage made it inadvisable to enter on that change. Sir Apirana Ngata's Views Sir Apirana Ngata (Opposition— Eastern Maori) said he doubted very much whether the bill would give Maori voters the secrecy desired. Ther<« were many Maoris 011 the verge of illiteracy. They could write and read, provided they were given time to appreciate what they were doing. He was afraid there would be a good many informal votes recorded at the next election. By way of interjection, the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Frpsev, assured Sir Apirana that the Labour Party had no intention of abolishing special Maori representation in Parliament. "Not the Final Word" Mr. H. T. Ratana (Government — Western Maori) said the clause providing for a secret ballot at Maori elections should have been passed years ago. The Attorney-General, replying to the debate, said he would like to inform those members who had displayed an eagerness to see further developments in Maori voting methods that the bill was not necessarily the final word. The Government felt it was better to do ono thing at a time than to overwhelm the Maoris with a multiplicity of changes.