HC Deb 24 July 1929 vol 230 cc1285-6
41. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has any information about the working of the postal ballot at elections in the country districts of Australia; if so, whether this information can be made available for Members; and, if he has not the information, will it be possible to obtain a Report upon the matter?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. Ponsonby)

Information on this subject will be found in the Australian legislation relating to electoral matters, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a list of the Acts in question with references to the relevant Sections, and also certain Returns and Reports which may be of interest to him.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

Do these Reports contain any opinions on the working of the system?

Mr. PONSONBY

I am afraid I have not digested them myself.

48. Mr. SHAKESPEARE

asked the Prime Minister whether the question of two-Member constituencies will come within the scope of the proposed electoral reform inquiry?

The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. J. Ramsay MacDonald)

I am not yet in a position to make any statement as to the terms of reference, but I can assure the hon. Member that his point will be borne in mind.

49. Colonel HOWARD-BURY

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the inquiry into the franchise law, he will include in the subjects for consideration the question of compulsory voting on the lines already in force in Australia?

The PRIME MINISTER

I do not think that the question of compulsory voting would properly come within the scope of the proposed inquiry.

Colonel HOWARD-BURY

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that, if everyone who had a vote used it, we should get a much fairer idea as to the views of the electorate?