THE DUNEDIN NORTH SEAT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14381, 26 November 1908, Page 6

THE DUNEDIN NORTH SEAT.

The result of the election for Dunedin North remains in suspense. Three votes which have been recorded' on seamen's electoral rights hove in the meantime transformed Mr Thomson's majority of two into a majority of one for Mr Barclay. ; An absentee's vote, exercised on a permit which was not utilised last week, is-expected to equalise the totals. Pending the official recount, which will almost be singular if it does not produce some slight divergence from the result that was preliminarily announced, all that can be said is J-hafc the issue hangs by an exceedingly slender thread. But already there is n. suggestion that the result may not depend upon the return-, ing officer's declaration.. It is freely being rumoured that there may be some question respecting the validity of two at least of the seamen's votes that have been recorded in favdur of Mr Barclay. These votes, it is asserted, were exercised by employees on the Harbour Board's dredge which is now at Oamaru. And out of this emerges tlie question whether dredge hands possess the qualification that should entitle them to the receipt of seamen's electoral' rights. A seaman is defined in the Legislature Act as and .including "every person who is engaged in any capacity cn board ! any ship not propelled by oars and registered or owned in New Zealand." This definition, it will be recognised, is certainly not conclusive respecting the qualification,of a dredge hand to the enjoyment of a. seaman's electoral privilege. And tho interpretation which the word " seaman " should bear is somewhat narrowed by the provisions of the Legislature Act with reference to the issue of seamen's rights. After prescribing that " for the purpose of acquiring a, qualification as an elector a, seaman, "shall'be deemed to reside in' New Zealand during the tiraei he is engaged in any, % ship owned or' registered in New Zealand," section 87 of the Act says: "Every seaman qualified to be enrolled as an elector and hnvin" no settled residence in any electoral district may be enrolled 111 the district comprising any port where the ship in which he is engaged usually calls." This would apparently limit the qualification of a person to be enrolled as a seaman in such •a. way as to disentitle any person who is not employed on a trading yessel to registration as a. sea,ma,ii' or .to the receipt of a seaman's electoral right. If this be the correct construction that is to be placed cn the law it apparently follows that it should be through, the exercise/of absent voters' permits. that dredge. hands, who ordinarily are permanent residents in Duncdin North but are temporarily absent in Oamaru, should record their votes. And if it be alleged that, this would have involved their disfranchisement this week the answer is that in such a, case they merely have .suffered the lot of scores' of other electors of Dunedin North who wore disfranchised last week through their absence from town and through the omission from the Second Ballot Act of any provision to cover Vtheii* case, The situation, it will be perceived, is distinctly interesting, ahd, ■unless the official recount should show that the seamen's votes are a negligible, factor, it scenw certain that it will province important developments.