§
Amendment proposed—
In line 18, after 'district.' insert 'and in towns.'"—(Mr. Maurice Healy.)
§
Question put—
That the proposed words be added to the clause.
§ Agreed to.
§
Amendment proposed—
Page 33, line 25, at end, insert—
(1) A person registered as a freeman in a Parliamentary borough shall be entitled to vote as a local government elector—(a) if his place of abode is in the borough, then in the electoral division in which that place of abode is situate; and (b) if his place of abode is not in the borough (in this Act referred to as a non-resident freeman) then in the electoral division to which he is allotted by the revising barrister; and shall not be entitled in respect of the qualification of freeman to vote elsewhere than in such electoral division, and the registration of electors shall be conducted, and the register arranged, so as to give effect to this enactment; (2) The non-resident freemen shall be allotted among the several electoral
506
divisions of the borough in proportion, as nearly as may be, to the number of electors in each electoral division, and shall be so allotted in like manner as is provided by section 14 of the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, with respect to the allotment of nonresident freemen among the several divisions of a Parliamentary borough; (3) Where an electoral division is situate partly within and partly without the Parliamentary borough this section shall apply to each divided part as if it were an electoral division; (4) Where the non-resident freemen have been allotted among the divisions of a Parliamentary borough in manner provided by section 14 of the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, the provisions of this section shall apply as if each such division were a Parliamentary borough."—(Mr. Gerald Balfour.)
§
Question put—
That the proposed words be added to the clause.
§ Agreed to.
§
Amendment proposed—
Page 33, line 25, at end, insert—
For the purposes of this Act a woman shall not be disqualified by marriage for being on the local government supplement, or for being an elector of any local authority, provided that a husband and wife shall not both be qualified in respect of the same property."—(Mr. William Johnston.)
§ MR. W. JOHNSTONI understand that the Chief Secretary has already provided for that.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
§
Amendment proposed—
Page 33, line 32, at end, insert as a new sub-section—
For the purposes of section 21 of the County Officers and Courts (Ireland) Act, 1877, the Registration (Ireland) Act, 1898, and this Act shall be deemed to be Acts relating to the registration of voters."—(Mr. Gerald Balfour.)
§
Question put—
That the proposed new sub-section stand part of the clause.
§ Agreed to.
§
Amendment proposed—
Page 34, line 4, at end, add—
Provided that, after the passing of this Act, a person shall not in Ireland in any year be entitled to be registered in the Parliamentary
507
register of electors in respect of the borough occupation franchise within the meaning of the Representation of the People Act, 1884, unless such person shall have resided within, or within seven miles of, the borough during six months immediately preceding the twentieth day of July in such year. Provided that a person shall not, unless otherwise qualified, be entitled to be a local government elector of a county borough or an urban district, if registered in the Parliamentary register of electors for such borough or urban district in respect of a qualification as a freeman. Provided that a person shall not be entitled to be a local government elector of a county borough or urban district if registered in any year in the Parliamentary register of electors in respect of the borough occupation franchise or the county occupation franchise within the meaning of the Representation of the People Act, 1884, unless such person shall have resided within, or within seven miles of, such borough or urban district during six months immediately preceding the twentieth day of July in such year. (6) Lists of Parliamentary electors in Ireland and the local government supplement thereto, and the Parliamentary register of electors, and the local government register of electors shall in each electoral division, or part thereof, be made out according to streets where streets exist, and elsewhere shall be made out according to townlands; the names of electors in each townland being arranged in alphabetical order, and all precepts and forms contained in and used under the Registration Acts and the Registration (Ireland) Act, 1898, shall be modified and adapted accordingly."—(Mr. Maurice Healy.)
§ MR. M. HEALYI do not propose to move the whole of this Amendment, but only the paragraph numbered (6).
§ MR. M. HEALYMay I point out that we have had discussions all through relating to Parliamentary elections, and most of the discussions which have taken place have been as to the revision of the lists of Parliamentary electors. We cannot deal with the lists of the Parliamentary electors at all. This Bill introduces a change into these lists, and as a change is involved I suppose I am entitled to move this part of my proposed new clause.
§ MR. M. HEALYThen I will move the whole clause. All the officials are in favour of it, and so are all the candi- 508 dates. At present the officials have to turn the rate book upside down in order to make the lists alphabetical. Then, when they have done that, and had them printed, the candidate wants to make out his canvassing books in street order, and he has to turn the lists upside down to do that. In Cork and in Dublin the lists are at present made out in streets by virtue of the provisions of the Act of 1882, making it optional for the court to adopt the system of street lists. Of course, I am aware that arrangements are already made for preparing the lists of persons on alphabetical lines, but if this Amendment were accepted it could be made to apply to future lists. I am sure I am right in saying that the adoption of this Amendment would be an immense benefit both to officials and candidates.
§ MR. TULLYI think this is a most important Amendment, and a most necessary one. The counties are to be divided according to electoral divisions, so that the lists will have to be re-written in any case. Of course, the expense of changing the registers must be gone to this year, but surely, after that, something carrying out this Amendment might be done.
§ MR. M. HEALYThe clerks of the unions will all be in favour of the change, because they will have the names in street order in the books. I should be glad to get the clause in any form. In boroughs we have it in an optional form, but the necessity for it in counties is much greater than for boroughs. The right honourable Gentleman has said that there is something to be said in favour of the present system, but as an old electioneering hand I entirely fail to see how any inconvenience can be caused to anybody by adopting this Amendment.
MR. POWERThis is a question that we have been trying to improve for the last five or six years, and I can answer for the officials of Ireland as to their wanting a change in this direction. Those who have had experience in these matters know that the present system is very inaccurate, and I venture to say that if 509 this Amendment is accepted the work will be made easier for the officials.
§ MR. M. HEALYA suggestion of a similar character was made by Mr. Biggar in the Parliament of Mr. Disraeli. There were very great head-shakings when the optional clause was adopted, and then the English adopted it themselves. The practical experience of those of us who have to tight contested election after contested election is that the change ought to be made.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI will consider the matter on the Report stage.
§ MR. M. HEALYThen I beg leave to withdraw the Amendment.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
§
Question put—
That clause 60, as amended, stand part of the Bill.
§ Agreed to.