The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 5.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 528, 5 August 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 5.

It would be well for electors to remember th.'it a general election is impending. When the preseit session of the General Assembly terminates, the House of lieprebentatives will be dissolved, as otherwise it would shortly expire by effluxion of time. We are convinced i that in this electoral district there is a , considerable number of persons qualified to vote whose names ure not on the roll. The electoral roll for Akaron, aa nude Uμ to Uie yist August last, contained €67 names. Since that period between 60 and 70 names have been added, but at the same time several would have to be struck oil" through de- th and removal. .If .we take the number to be -•about 700 we shall probably.be Jiol-far! ».wrong. Now, considering that eviry ■'Mai twenty one yeare of.age>who has resided twelve months.ia the-Colony and six months in the district is qualified as an elector, it is evident that a great many have negkctal to avail themselves of their privilege. We feel convinced thut there are fully 1000 qualified electors within the electoral district, in eluding non-residents claiming under the property qualification. It is true that the h.w makes it the duty of the llegistrar to add to the roll " the nnmc of every person of whose qualification as iin elector he is satisfied," but it is simply impossible for him to ferret out every individual. Even it he is sure that a certain man's name is not on the roll, how is he to become aware by instinct that an individual known as ■<" French Charlie" is really a Norwegian named " Peter Schweinsen " ? or that the correct designation of i ill the Bushwhacker is Thomas Montmorency Blennei hiissett ? Let the electors, then look after their own privileges in this matter. The law affords them every facility. Instead of having to wait for a particular time of year, they can register at any time, and it is expressly laid down that a fresh roll or a supplemental roll shall be issued immediately prior to a general election. But it is not . safe to put it off too long. The moment the writs are ouL the door is shut, and no names can be received till the .election is over, The object of tliis proviso is evidently to prevent " roll-stuffing " ly unprincipled election agents, Now if the late debate in the House hud had a different termination, v dissolution would probably have taken place, and we should now be engaged in an election with about one third ol the electors disfranchised through their own act. Once more then we would repeat Sir Robert Peel's oft-quoted advice—Register, Register, Register.