COMMONWEALTH ELECTORAL.

No. 2 of 1929.

An Act to amend section Two hundred and fourteen of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918-1928.

[Assented to 25th February, 1929.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and citation.

1.—(1.)  This Act may be cited as the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1929.

(2.)  The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918–1928 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3.)  The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918–1929.

Electoral matter may be sent by telegraph.

2.  Section two hundred and fourteen of the Principal Act is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-section:—

“(2.)  Where after the result of a House of Representatives election has been declared, the Returning Officer has certified, by telegram addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer—

(a) that by reason of distance, or the infrequency of, or any interruption to, the postal services, the writ for the election, indorsed by the Returning Officer with the name of the candidate elected, cannot reach the Governor-General, or the Speaker, as the case may be, within seven days; and

(b) the name of the candidate elected,

the Chief Electoral Officer may indorse upon a copy of the writ a certified copy of the telegram received by him, and the copy writ so indorsed shall have the same force and effect as if it were the original writ duly indorsed by the Returning Officer:

Provided that if, upon the return of the original writ to the Governor-General or the Speaker, as the case may be, any disconformity is found to exist between the original writ and the copy writ as to the name of the candidate elected, the copy writ shall thereupon cease to have any force or effect, and action shall be taken in accordance with the indorsement on the original writ.”.