THE BRIBERY AND ELECTORAL BILLS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 848, 30 July 1879, Page 2

THE BRIBERY AND ELECTORAL BILLS.

The Bribery and Electoral Bills are printed. The Bribery Bill consists of 66 clauses, and is almost indentical with' the bill as amended last session, The Electoral Bill is avoluminous-one of 168 clauses, occupying 41 pages. ' Part 1 contains general provisions of no special importance. Part 2 deals with the qualification of electors, and provides that every male of 21 years, not otherwise disqualified whose name appears on any ratepayers' roll shall be entitled to vote in the district for which he is rated ; also that every male 12 years old, not otherwise disqualified, and not on any ratepayers' roll, but who has resided in the the colony for 12 months, and in the district for which he claims 6 months, shall be entitled to have an electoral right issued to him. Clause 16 deals with the Maori franchise, and is as follows : — Every male Maori of the full age of 21 years, who is not enrolled under this Act in respect of a rating qualification, shall be qualified to vote in the election of members of the House of Representative if he is seized at law or in equity, immediately or derivatively, under a grant from the Crown, as sole owner or as owner of an undivided share of lands for his own life, or for the life of any other person, or for any larger estate, of the clear value of twenty-five pounds at the least, and has been so Seized to 6 months . previous to the date of his claim to vote : Nothing herein shall affect. any right or privilege conferred upon or granted to Maoris under the Maori Representation Act, 1877, or any Act amending or continuing the same. The new Act is not to effect the holders of miners' rights until the Ist of January, 1881, and up to that time they are to continue to enjoy all present privileges. Provision is made for all ratepayers' rolls being sent to the registration officers in July in each year. Every person claiming the residential franchise must apply for an eleotoral right. These are not to be issued to aliens or to recipients of charitable aid, A form of the electoral right ia given, and provision is

made for the rights being numbered and<** registered and signed by the persons to whom they are issued. A fee of two shillings is to be payable for each right, and any false answer to the questions which may be put before a right is issued is to be punished by six months' imprisonment. A right may, under certain regulations, be transferred from one district to another, or renewed if lost, the two shillings being again payable in each case. Any person who is refused a right by the regia- l tration office, may appeal to the Resident Magistrate. Lists of claimatsare to be made out and and posted, in September in each year, and objections must be made in October. Notice is to be sent to any person objected to, and lists of objections are to be posted. The possession of blank forms of electoral * rights is made ft < misdemeanor. Revision Courts are to sit in November, and to be presided over by a Resident Magistrate appointed by the Governor, f Appeals, of. points o& law may be made to- the Supreme Court. Part 5 deals with the regulation of elections, and differs little from, the present law. Resignations) writs, and other documents may, ander certain regulations tions, be. sent* by telegram. Candidates may be nominated by telegraph. All candidates must be nominated in writing by a document signed by five electors. Lists of persons nominated are to be posted up. The poll is to be taken very much in the same matine-i as has been the case hitherto. - ■.-