OUTLINE OF THE IRISH REFORM BILL.

[The words printed in italics are proposed to he inserted in the Committee.] PREAMBLE.-Whereas it is expedient to diminish the expenses of elections in Ire- land, and to extend the elective franchise to many of his Majesty's subjects therein who have not heretofore enjoyed the same, and to increase the number of represen- tatives for certain cities and boroughs in that part of the United Kingdom ; Be it therefore enacted, 14:c., that in addition to the freeholders now entitled to vote at elections of knights of the shire, every male person of full age, and not subject to any legal incapacity, holding any lands or tenements within any county in Ireland by lease for any term of years not less than twenty-one years, whereon a rent of not ass than fiffa pounds annually shall have been bond fide reserved, shall, after due registration under this act, have a right to vote at the election of knights of the shire to serve for such county.

I. Provides that the Bill is not to affect present voters In counties.

2. That persons holding lands, &c., in cities, towns, and boroughs, at present en- titling them to vote at the county elections, to be in future entitled, in respect of the same qualification, to vote for the members of such cities, tke.

3. That no person vote at any election for a county, unless seised or possessed thirty days before registration. 4. That a committee of privy council settle boundaries of cities, towns, fec.; and Incorporate any parish or other district within the limits of such city or borough, where less than two hundred householders qualified.

5. That at all elections for any city, town, or borough, every male person of full age, duly registered under this act, and not subject to any legal incapacity, shall be entitled to vote, who shall have occupied, for six calendar months next preceding the registration, any dwelling-house within such city, town, or borough, bond fide sub- ject to the yearly rent of ten pounds, or which, if bond fide let to a solvent tenant, would produce the yearly rent of Li-,, pounds, or who shall have held fur suck period any lands or tenements within such city, town, or borough, by lease for any term of not less than twenty-one years, whereon a yearly rent of not less than fifty pounds shall have been bond fide reserved.

6. That every person now entitled to vote at the election of a member or mem- bers for any city, town, or barouell, shall, after such registration, and so long only as he shall continue to reside within such city, town, er borough, enjoy such right of voting.

7- That the cities of Limerick and Waterford, the borough of Belfast, the county of the town of Galway, and time University of Dublin, shall each respectively return one member, in addition to the member which each of the said places is now en- titled to return.

S. Provides as to the mode of registration in cities and boroughs.

9. As to the mode of registration in counties. 10. That certificates of former registration in counties entitle the freeholders to be registered under this act.

11. The appointment of barristers to revise lists. 12. That notice be given by barrister of times and places of sitting.

13. That such barristers shall hear and inquire into and decide upon all objections, whether of omission or insertion, made to the lists of voters, and shall expunge the name of every person who shell not have owned or held, in the case of a county for thirty days, and in case of a city or borough for six calendar months at the least before the first day of the sitting at which such list shall be considered, lands or tenements men dwelling house sufficient under this act to qualify him to vote, or who shall be in ally wise incapacitated, and shall insert the name of every person who shall prove that he has owned or held any house, houses, lands, and tenements, of the value and for the length of time necessary under this act to entitle him to vote, and wh6 shall not be disqualified ; and such barrister shall expunge the name of every person appearing not to be entitled, or to be legally disqualified, and insert therein the name of every person omitted who shall appear to be so entitled.

14. Provides that notice be given of expunging or inserting names.

15. That the barrister appointed to revise such lists, shall have power to admi- nister to Roman Catholics the oath now required to be taken by them in order to entitle them to rote; and it shall not be lawful for such barrister to insert or retain in any such list the name of any Roman Catholic, unless he shall have taken such oath.

16. That such barrister shall at his sitting have power to administer an oath to, and examine any person, touching any objection made to any list ; and that any person wilfully swearing falsely shall be deemed to be guilty of wilful and corrupt perjury. 17. That such sittings shall not he attended by any counsel, solicitor, or attorney on behalf of any party ; and that the barrister shall at such sitting finally determine upon all claims, questions, or objections, and shall in open court write the initial letters of his name opposite each name by him inserted or expunged, and also sign his name to each corrected list.

IS. That lists, when eorreeted, be transmitted to returning officer, or clerk of the peace. Copies td be printed, and delivered to any person on payment of sixpence. 19. The lista it; continue in force far twelve months.

20. That ho inquiry whatever shall be permitted to be made at any election, as to• to the right of voting of any person, save only whether his qualification for voting has expired, and whether the person claiming to vote be the same person whose name appears in the list deposited with the clerk of' the peace or returning officer and whether such claimant has previously voted at the same election-all which ine quince the returning officer, sheriff, or his deputy, shall (if required on behalf of any' candidate) make from each voter at the time of tendering his vote, and not after, Upon the affidavit or affirmation of such voter ; and that any person wilfully swear- ing or affirming falsely, shall be deemed to be guilty of wilful and corrupt perjury. Provided always, that the oath against bribery, which may now by law be adminis- tered to any person tendering his vote at any election, may be administered to such person at the desire of any candidate.

Oath to be taken by voters, at polling, before returning officer, sheriff, or his deputy, if required on behalf of any candidate.

I, A. B. do swear (or, being a Quaker, chi affirm) that I am the same (A.13.) whose name appears registered in the election list of this county for the year

and that my qualification as such registered voter still continues, and that I have not before voted at this election.

21. That, in case of petition. committee may examine into objections to the lists 22. Barrister nominated under this act ineligible for twelve months after his up-. pointinent to serve in Parliament for any place withi Ii his district. 23. That future lists be revised by assistant barrister. : 24. That copies of lists Air the use of the several booths be prepared. Penalty fcr neglect or certifying false copies.

25. That at all contested elections for any city or borough, the poll shall com- mence on the day of nomination or on the clay next following (not being Sunday); and that the number of hours during which the poll shall continue open, shall on the first day be seven., and on the second day eight, and that the poll shall on no ac-

count be kept open later than of the clock in the afternoon of the second day.

26. That the final state of the pall shall be declared not later than two of the clock in the afternoon of the third day, not including Sunday, after the opening of the poll; and the returning officer shall return the members immediately after the final state of the poll shall be declared.

27. That if, on the day of election for any county, more candidates shall be pro- posed than the number of vacancies to be tilled up, 2nd a 11011 shall be demanded, the polling shall, at the hour of nine i n thef (women of the day (not being Sunday) next but one after the day of nomination, commerce in the several places to be ap- pointed by the justices for taking polls ; and the county court shall meet again at noon of the sixth day (not including S outlay ) after the day of election.

28. That the justices of the peace for eaca county shall, at a special sessions to be by them annul:I-led at the general or quarter sessions of the peace to beholden next after the passing of this act, and of which ten days' previous notice tit the least shall be ghveii, consider Of the expediency of appointing, and shall have power to appoint convenient places, not exceeding fifteen in nutnber, for taking the poll at elections for such county, which places shall be so fixed as that no voter shall toe obliged to travel more thanfifteen miles from the property in respect of which he shall claim to vote.

29. That polling places may be varied every two years. 3o. Provides that returning officer shall preside at elections for cities and boroughs; and that no grcater number than six huiftlred shall poll at one booth.

31. That all booths for taking polls shall be provided by contract with the candi- dates, or, if they cannot agree, sonic bombs shall he provided by the sheriff or other retorning officer, at the joint and equal expense of the several candidates ; tun] the clerks employed in tailing the pull shall be paid one guinea by the day by each of the candidates.

32. Provides that any person proposing a candidate without his consent shall be liable to the expenses.

3.3. That at each county election the number of hours during which the poll shalI be kept open, shall, on the first slay, be seven hours, and on the second day eight hours; and that no poll shall be kept open longer than four of the clock in the afternoon of the second day.

34. That the Sheriff shall preside at county elections.

35. That at each county election the poll clerks shall, at the close of each day's poll, inclose and seal their several books, and shall in open court deliver them to the Sheriff or his deputy presiding at such poll, who shall give a receipt for the same; and the Sheriff or his deputy shall, on the commencement of the poll on the second day, deliver them back, SO inclosed and sealed, to the person from whom he shall have received them ; and on the final close of the poll in each booth, the Sheriff or his deputy shall keep such poll-books so inclosed and sealed, and shall, on the re- assembling of the county court on the sixth day, openly examine and cast up the number of' votes as appearing in such books, and openly declare the state of the poll or polls, and make proclamation of the member or members chosen. 36. Provides that former lases continue in force, except so far as they are altered or repealed by this act. 37. That if any sheriff, returning officer, barrister, or other person shall wilfully contravene or disobey any provisions of this act, he shall for each offence be liable to be sued for the sum of one hundred pounds, to be recovered by an action of debt or information in the name of his Majesty's Attorney-General, or any other person, in any of his Majesty's superior courts of record at Dublin, and the jury may in such action find a verdict for such full suns of one hundred pounds, or fotany sum not less than ten pounds, as they shall think just; and the defendant against whom such verdict shall be found, shall pay the amount thereof, with full costs of suit, to the use of his Majesty, or of the person suing.

38. Party's right to action for a false return not affected by this act. 39. That if any person included in any list, but who at the time of any election shall be in the enjoyment of any office disqualifying him from voting, shall presume to vote, such person shall be liable to all penalties, forfeitures, and provisions to which he would have been subject by any law in force at the time ; cud in case of a petition to the House of Commons for altering the return, or setting aside the election, his vote shall be struck off by the Committee, with such costs as to them shall seem meet, to be paid by him to the petitioner.

40. That in addition to those persons now entitled to vote at the election for the University of Dublin, every person of full age, and not otherwise disqualified, who shall have obtained a scholarship, shall be entitled to vote; provided such person shall have continued Isis name upon the books of the University up to the time of such election, or shall, in case he shall have removed his name therefrom, replace the same thereon within six calendar months after the passing oft/is act.

41. That the words "city or borough" used shall be construed to include all places, whether corporate or otherwise, entitled to send a member or members to serve in Parliament; and that the words "returning officer" shall be constnteri to include every person by his office entitled to preside at the election of a member or members to serve in Parliament, and to include several persons so entitled.

42. That no clergyman shall be permitted to vote as such at any election, un- less his name shall have been duly registered pursuant to the provisions of this act.

43. That every person entitled to two or more freehold estates or interests in any county, the annual value whereof shall, in the aggregate, amount to ten pounds, according to the mode of valuing freeholds now prescribed for the qualification of electors, and who shall be in all other respects duly qualified, shall be entitled to vote at any election for such county, although no one of such freehold estates may be of such annual value of ten pounds.