MAORI ROLLS ARE BEING PREPARED

Chronicle (Levin), 27 September 1947, Page 5

MAORI ROLLS ARE BEING PREPARED

WELLINGTON, Sept. 26. In the Ilouse of Kepresentatives, Alr. T. C. Weiib (Rodney) speaking to tli* vote for tlie Electoral Department, in •piired if anv steps had been taken to ward tlie preparation of a Alaori roli He said he did not raisc tlie mattei in any party spirit but lie knew rneii' bers of both parties were anxio.us ti. see the roll cstablished. He also'asket; if anything ii.ad been done to prevem the recurrence of honest mistakes suci. as those wlfich had lieen revealed during Gie liearing of the Raglan petition, anu to remedy the anonialv which had been revealed in Raglan and in earlie.petitions whereby persons whost domicile was divided lietween two clectorates, iuiglit clioose in which they would enrol and vote. The judges in the Raglan case had disagreed on tln*! interpretation of tlie present law 011 this matter and sonie ainendment was roquired. Alr. T. B. AEeOombs (Lyttelton > -•aid couijsel on both sides in the Raglan case had suggested to liim that con sideration be given to the adoption oi tlie English law which called for a closc investigation of a person 's qualiflca tions to enrol but which held that oncc his enrolnient was accepted, his right to vote was beyond challenge. Alr. Xasli. replied tliat preliminary wor-k on eompiling a Alaori roll was already under wav. Alr. Webb: Good. Alr. Xash said the preparation might requiro a year. Alr. Webb: That doesn't matter. Alr. Holland: Will it requirc legisla tion? Alr. Nash: Yes. Afr. Xash said an amendment to the present electoral law as to residentia! ' qualification, was also being prepared and legislation might be lirouglit down next session. The amendment woul.'l remedy tlie defects revealed 'at Raglan and elsewhere and consideration wouUI be given to follawing tlie English pre cedent mentioned by Alr. AlcCombs. Dr. A. AI. Finlay (North Sliore) suggested tliat future rolls might in clude the suburb or postal distric-t of electors. Se\ eral Opposltion and' Government members discussed a system by which "sick" votes were taken and alleged tliat irregularities had occurred during the last general eleetion. It wa» advocated that a different system b* instituted so that greater secrecy could be secured. The vote was passed.