Page:Electoral purity and economy.djvu/10

 conveyed, while no one would be prevented from going to the poll.

2. —The greater portion of this expenditure is merely indirect bribery; and can be easily prevented by strictly limiting the numbers who may be employed and paid. At present, unfortunately, there is absolutely no legal limit to the number of voters and non-voters who may be engaged; the only checks being, firstly, the never-carried-out enactment that the vote of an elector who is paid and then votes can be struck off the roll on scrutiny; and, secondly, the fear that, in case of a petition, the Election Judges may consider that the amount of "employment" had been corruptly large. A limit to the numbers, and the prohibition of certain forms of employment, are therefore essential.

Expenditure on canvassers, watchers, bill-posters, and board-boys may well be prohibited altogether; the two former functions, if undertaken at all, would be much better performed by volunteers; the latter are unnecessary.

Not more than one paid agent should be allowed to each candidate. It is almost essential to have one paid accredited agent, but the rest of the work at present done by paid agents, should be done by volunteer assistance, or not at all.

It is necessary to have a certain number of paid assistants for the conduct of an election, and for the performance of the clerical and other administrative work. This being granted, three questions arise:—

(i.) Should the candidate be permitted to employ voters?

(ii.) What proportion of persons to electors should be allowed to be employed and paid?

(iii.) How can the limit be made to work equitably in cases of joint, divided, or single candidatures?

The answer to the first question is simple. Make it necessary for the agent to return the names of all those employed and paid, and make it the duty of the Returning Officer to strike off from the register, for that election only, the names of any voters so returned. Thus the conductors of the election will be at liberty to choose the men best adapted for their