HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11736, 13 September 1902, Page 7

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30. FIRST READINGS. The Rating Act Amendment, Ixtord and Cust Roards Districts Alteration of Bbundaries, Crown Suits Act, 1891, Amendment, Pacific Cable Autlioi'isation Extension Bill were introduced and read a first time. SECOND READING. The Municipal Franchise Extension Bill was read a second time ipro< fonnm. MONDAY NIGHT SITTINGS. It was agreed that the House sit on Monday evenings. THE ELECTORAL BILL. The House resumed in committee om the Electoral Bill. At clause 143, on the motion, of Mr. Pirani, it was agreed that purging tin roll shall only take place after a general election. At clause 150, Mr. James Allen urged that returning officers should have the power to remove from the approaches of polling booths any person delivering cards importuning ©teeters' to vote for a, specified candidate. Sir Joseph Wardi replied that the offence would be dealt with in the regulations issued.to the returning officer. An amendment to clause 151, proposed by- Mr,- FowldS, was carried, making t unlawful an the day of the ifloil to issua mock ballot papers. A proposal by Mr. Willis to prevent advertising in a newspaper an imitation of the ballot paper was lost by 49 to 12. In clause 165, the penalty for neglect to furnish a return of candidates' expenses, Major Steward moved an addition to sub-clause 5, imposing- a penalty of £50 upon the returning officer if he fails to see thai- such returns are not made. Mr. Fisher said that the provision for compelling a candidate to furnish a return lof expenses should be omitted, a* he con-

eklered that in any case such returns were unreliable. . The amendment was lost by 39 to 21. The Hiaaise resumed at 7.30. in committee on the Electoral Bill, at clause 176, ( piroviding regulations for the conducb of evectiolns of Maori members, Mr. Hernes moved an addition to the effect that the Madid elections be held on the i-ame day as the elections of European menibavi. Tiiid vrs opposed by Sir Joseph Ward, and lost by b( to 16. Mr. Pirani moved a new sub-clause to provide that alter tin© lsb January, 1905, Maoii elections be conducted as nearly as can be on the lines of European elections. He thought the time had arrived when Maoris should record their votes by ballot. Mr. Pmi-ni's proposal was rejected by 33 to 24. Mr. Heke moved a new sub-clause, providing for the appointment of a registrar of electors for each Maori electoral district. ' '„ This was lost on the voices, and the whole clause was agreed to unaltered. At clause 183, dealing with election petitions, Mr. Haselden moved a new subsection to .provide that if, through the fault or mistake of the Government or Governmient official, a successful candidate de petitioned against, the latter shall not be required to pay the legal expenses ii>_ ourred. Several members spoke in support cl this proposal, which was carried on a division by 39 to 20. At clause 186, which defines vn 1 cif erne of "treating," Sir Joseph Ward laoved an amendment to prohibit a candidate "treating" an elector at any time* between the date of nomination and the date of the poll inclusive. This gave rise to considerable discussion. Several members urged that the clause as it stood was sufficiently drastic in prohibiting "treating" oni pollimg day, while others submitted that votes were influenced by ."treating'' days before the election, .especially at afternoon teas.

Eventually. Sir Joseph Ward's amendment was lost on the voices, and the offence of "treating" was limited to polling day in terms of the Bill as originally inttfodueed.

Mr. Haselden moved a new clause to make it an illegal offence for Ministers to interfere in a campaign outside their own electorate.—Lostfc on the voices.

The end of tlhe Bill was "reached at 10.55 p.m., .and the committee then reverted to postpiomed clause 114 jpega-rding scrutineers.

Sir Joseph Ward said he would have anew clause submitted in the Legislative Council, tind the clause was meanwhile agreed to. A new clause i(142 A), providing1 for a recount, added by the Statutes Revision Committee, was added to the Bill, together with the new clause proposied by Sir Joseph Waird, setting out what action shall be taken in tre case of a member becoming insane.

Sir Joseph Ward moved 'another oiew clause providing for an appeal against a decision of a Representation Commissioner to two Judges of the Supreme Court, who are empowered to make "such alteration in the boundaries of the electorate as they think just. After considerable discussion the proposed clause was rejected on the voices. Sir Joseph Ward moved a new clause providing for the enrolment of, and issue of, electors' rights to members of the theatrical profession who have been resident in the colony for not leas than 12 months.—Agreed1 to on the voices. On the motion of Sir Joseph Ward, a new clause was added providing that the Act shall not apply to *tny of the outlying . islands of New Zealand1,, not contained in any electoral district, but on a resolution of the House of Representatives the Governor, by Ordeir-ia-Couincil, may include them within some electoral district of the colony, but such proclamation shall apply only to t>ort 1 of the Act until tflie expiring of the them existing Parliament.