THE RANGITATA ELECTION. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1887. A WARNING TO ELECTORS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1608, 13 July 1887, Page 2

THE RANGITATA ELECTION. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1887. A WARNING TO ELECTORS.

We are strongly of opinion that unless the electors, of this part of the colony at anyrate, take special pains to prevent such an undesirable result, the effect of the re-definition of the electoral districs will be to deprive a large number of them of their votes at the forthcoming elections m the event of a contest either for Ashburton or for Rangitata. We will explain our reasons for arriving at that opinion. So soon \as the receipt of the boundaries of the electorates is notified by the Returning Officers it becomes the duty of those j gentlemen to at once set about forming I the rolls, by transferring from the existing rolls to the new rolls the names of those electors whose qualifications are comprised within the new districts respectively. Now, m the case of Ashburton electoral district, it must be remembered that the boundaries have been considerably enlarged, and that part of the old Wakanui electorate is now included m it, while other part of the Wakanui electorate, with parts of Geraldine and Gladstone, has been included m the new electorate of Rangitata. In transferring from the Wakanui roll to those of Ashburton and Rangitata respectively the names which would properly belong to each, Mr Ward will have anything but a simple task, inasmuch as m a large number of cases the place ot residence is not set down with sufficient explic'tness to enable him to decide to which electorate the voter properly belongs. For example, a man may appear on a residential qualification m Wakanui, without anything to indicate m what part df the Wakanui district he resides, and as m many such cases Mr Ward cannot be expected to know the persons or their residences it is just as likely as not that he may transfer them to the wrong roll. If then it happen that a person who ought to be placed on the Ashburton roll is placed on that for Rangitata, or vice versa, he will lose his vote altogether, if it should be challenged. We feel persuaded that this will really occur (should there be a contested election) m a great many instances, and hence if electors would avoid being disfranchised we counsel them to send m NEW CLAIMS WITHOUT A MOMENT'S delay. This does not apply to electors resident within the borough of Ashburton, for about them no mistake can possibly be made, but it would be wise for all other electors tomake themselves sure by taking the precaution to register afresh. And there is not a day to lose, for be it remembered that the moment the writs are issued all chance of getting on the roll is at an end. Let every elector who reads this, and does not happen to be on the roll of Ashburton m respect of a qualification within the borough, turn at once to the fourth page of this issue, fill up the claim to vote which he will find there and send it to Mr Ward right away. By this means much serious disappointment will certainly be obviated.