The Ballot Bill has been floundering laboriously through a score
of divisions, and hundreds of petty obstructive speeches, during the past week. Amendments providing such important matters as,—that the voter may be identified on a scrutiny by aid of a counterfoil to his voting-ticket ; that the candidates' names should not be in alphabetical but party-order (candidates of the same party being printed together) ; that the number in the square opposite the candidate's name should be printed in the colour of the candidate ; that there should be no separate " com- partment " for the secret voting ; that there should be fewer separate "compartments" ; that the ballot-box should be a ballot- box approved by the candidates or their agents ; that it should be a pattern ballot-box approved and authorized by Government ; and a host of other important matters of that kind, were rejected, —not in general without a division, for that is the Tory policy,— and on Friday the Committee was still labouring away at Clause 3 with a pertinacity worthy of a better cause. The Ballot is not worth all this expenditure of temper and tissue.
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