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--Mr. Whitney introduced a bill to amend the election act. The following ! are the principal features :--The re-- i turning oificer shall be a resident of the electoral district. On the day of nom-- 'ination the returning officer shall an-- . nounce the names of the deputy return-- [ ing ofeers. Each deputy returning ; officer shall be a resident of the polling | subdivision in which he acts. The de-- 'puty returning officer shall be sworn if by the returning officer. | The ballots shall be printed by the Queen's Printer, and the numbered bal-- lot shall be abolished. The ballots and printed directions -- to voters to be furnished by the returning officer to the deputy returning officers _ two days before the poll. Each poll clerk shall be a re-- gsident voter in the polling subdivision in which he acts. Agents shall not be given certificates allowing them to vote in polling places other than where they reside. The oath of the deputy return-- ing oflicer shall be taken by the return-- ing officer. The returning oficer is to attend at the polling place hal? an hour before the opening of the poll ; he shall count the ballots to be used, in the presence of the candidates or agents, who shall be allowed to examine the same ; that the ballot--box shall be placed on a table ; that he shall give a statement of ilhe result, whether requested to do so | or not, and the candidates or agents shall be allowed to write their names across the flap of the envelopes after they have been sealod. The ballot-- boxes are to be delivered to the return-- \ ing officer by the deputy or the poll | clerk. The returning officer is empow-- ered, when a deputy returning officer 'has failed to sign his return, to sount the ballots and sign the statement him-- self. A re--count max be had where the majority is not more than ,100. _ Bribers, receivers of bribes, person-- ators and persons who exercise undue | thfluence are to. receive six months' iinprisonment, in addition to the money penalty of $200. Persons who vote more than once are to suffer three months' imprisonment, in addition to a similar penalty. | Initiation of Prosecutions. ' The most important clause is the pro-- vision that where at an election trlal! the evidence shows corrupt practlces' or other illegal acts to have been com-- mitted, the persons shall be tried at |once, and the Judges are directed to appoint counsel to prosecute them, ;either the County Attorney and an-- | other counsel to be named by the solici-- tor for the petitioner, or a counsel to | be named by the court, and all counsel| | and witness fees to be paid by the Pro--| vince. Returning officers and other lpn'sons altering . or falsifying -- poll books, etc., to receive six months' im-- prisonment. in addition to a maney penalty. Provision is also made for the protection of witnesses who give evidence in good faith. After Mr. Whitney had read thel summary of his bill Hon. Mr. Gibson announced that he was preparing oncl which embodied many of the same amendments. l ® & --"