PAPERS BURNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24827, 25 February 1944, Page 2

PAPERS BURNED

SOLDIERS' VOTES MIDDLE EAST AREA ACTION TAKEN BY OFFICER (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Thursday The destruction ot nil the ballot papers used by meinbers of forces in the .Middle Has' in recording their votes on I lie Parliamentary and licensing issues at the last general dee- j tion was revealed m a report by the , special returning otlicer. Major \\ A. Bryan. presented in the House ol I'epreseiitalives 10-day. ,\ statement on this report and on j those 11 om other special returning "Hi-| cers in otlier war /.ones was made by | the Prime Minister, the lit. Hon J'. ! Fraser. who said tlial it members do- | sired a Parliamentary committee could) he set up to obi ain more information from the returning officer regarding the destroyed ballot papers. Explanation lor Disposal lu his report on the disposal ol used ballot papers, butts and rolls Major Hryan said; "It was considered undesirable to send this material back to New Zealand on account of shipping, .■lid on account of a possible move ol I l lie base organisation ol the Second New Zealand Expeditionary force irotti Kg.vpt it was considered undesirable to leave such material stored there. "iu discussion. Brigadier Weir agreed with me that in view of conditions it was desirable to burn ail such material. Accordingly, all the .sealed parcels were destroyed by (ire under supervision of the military police." "] feel stire that members, after reading the reports, will agree that every possible effort was made, in some instances in very difficult circumstances, io obtain the vole of every serviceman, [even in the most isolated and inaccessible localities." said Mr. Fraser. "I teel it my duty, however, to draw attention to that portion of the report of the special returning officer for the Middle Past area, wherein lie explains bis action in causing the destruction by lire, alter the official count had been completed, of the used electoral ballot and licensing voting papers. As this was a departure from the customary method oi disposing of the used ballot papers I feel that some explanation of the position is due to members.'' Usual Procedure Outlined The usual procedure in regard to civilian voting was to hold ballot papers ; in the custody of the Clerk oi the House j lor 12 months, when thov were de!st roved by burning, continued the ! Prime Minister. Similar action was provided for in connection with licensing voting papers, they being held at the nearest Magistrate's Court. However, this position did not necessarily apply to the forces' ballot papers, for which a special provision had been made, said .Mr. Fraser. The regulations relating to forces voting provided that the special returning officers' official count figures should for all purposes he deemed to be correct and accepted accordingly in connection with any magisterial recount of civilian votes. The official count was conducted in the presence of two witnesses nominated by ilie Second .New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Lieutenant J. H. Blair and Lieutenant R. J. Thomas. Special Committee il Desired "The Electoral Amendment Act. 11)10. which makes special provision tor forces voting, and under which tile regulations relating to forces voting were promoted, provides that the validity ol any election or licensing poll snail not be questioned 011 the ground that anything required to be j done by the Act or by any regulations | under the Act has been irregularly done or has been omitted to be done," I continued -Mr. Fraser. "Accordingly | the special returning officer's omission I to take similar action for the disposal ! of forces voting material as is required for civilians' papers under the Electoral ; Act, 1927, does pot raise any doubt I as to the validity of the elections.'" I Should members be desirous of gaining further information as to the methods and organisation adopted in recording the votes of servicemen overseas an opportunity would be afforded j for this, said the Prime Minister. I Should they desire a special Parliamentary committee there would be no ■ hesitation in arranging for that. It ! might he more satisfactory if a com- ! mittee of the House had an oppor- | tuniiy of interrogating the officer coni corned. Promise Not Redeemable j A promise made by the Minister of finance, the Hon. W. Nash, that the I ballot papers would be made available for scrutiny could not be carried out and the same applied to the licensing papers for Invercargill. When lie resumed duty in January, Mr, Fraser continued, he had given instructions that this promise was to be redeemed, but he met with the reply that the papers for the Middle Fast had been burned. The officer who made the mistake had consulted with Brigadier Weir about the storage of the papers. Although their validity was not involved it was obvious that the ordinary course should have been followed. The object of the relevant clause in the regulations was that if ballot papers were on a ship or aircraft that was lost the papers concerned would not be made invalid. Mr. Fraser concluded. but it was never contemplated that if papers could he returned that would not be done. Shock lor Members The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. (I. Holland, said the House was grateful to the Prime Minister for the information he had given and his suggestion for the appointment of a Parliamentary committee was possibly the best one. However, members would want to study the report. Tll view of complaints which had been made in fhe past about irregularities in the voting, the information (bat the Middle Fast papers bail been destroyed came n<; a shock, but the situation could not be undone and members would want to postpone judgment until they bad examined the report. RETURNS OF SHEEP OBLIGATION ON OWNERS PROVISION REINSTATED I P.A,) \YELLINGTON, Thursday The provision in the statute requiring owners of sheep to make a return of sheep depastured on their property was suspended two years ago, primarily for the purposes of paper conservation. Because there is now no reliable data about the sheep population of New Zealand, it has been found necessary to reinstate the obligation on sheepOwners to make a return for this and subsequent years. This is the effect, of the Stock Act Modification Fmergenoy Regulations. 101 1. gazetted to-night. ACCIDENTS IN MINES MAN AND YOUTH INJURED (0.C.) HAMILTON. Thursday Two mine accidents occurred in the llitntly district, to-day. Mr, Cyril Waldon Stephens, aged 10, of Glen Alton, was embedded in a fall of coal and suffered head injuries and fractured ribs. 1 A youth, James Stewart, aged 16, of , Huntly West, fractured a rib when lie was caught between two coal skips. They • were admitted to the Waikato lliis- j pital. STRUCK BY CARCASE Struck by a frozen carcase at the Southdown freezing works yesterday, a labourer, Douglas Maaka, married, aged , :17, of the Public Works Department | Camp, Avondale racecourse, suffered j concussion. He was admitted to the I Auckland Hospital, his condition last j night being fairly serious. 1