ENROL-

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1043, 4 February 1911, Page 4

ENROL-

A BIG ELECTION DAY. AT HAND/

Wellington electors appear to l)o slowt to realise their responsibilities as voters in connection. with. the coming elections. This remark applies even to those who. would in the ordinary, course of things bo expected to know that there was'a change .in the fran-n chise, and that. practically everyone ofi age_ with the residential qualification is entitled to a vote,' and may . havei. one for the- trouble of calling at: the Town Hall and making oufi an application form. What tha average citizen has hot so far grasp T ed' is (1) the fact that the roll of dis» triot used at the City Council election; of 1909 has been purged of some 15,000' names (those who did not on that occasion voto and who were unwell oc dead); (2) that' if the precaution to enrol is not taken many may learn with surprise that they have to vote on the day of election when it is too late; (3) that not only is t-hero an election for Mayor and' City. Council on the last Wednesday in April, but the members cf tho Harbour Board arc to be elected on the same day, and if the Labour people aro successful in getting .the required number of signatures, a referendum on the weekly half-holiday will also ha taken. That all this is to happen ontho one day is going to be very confusing to quite a lot of people, but thai law "decrees it!

"Anyway," said Mr. J. Ames, tho returning officer, to a Dominion representative yesterday, "it is going to ba a real live roll this time—there'll bq no dead ones on it,, and they'll all ba voters, take my word for it.

"What I don't think the public knows," continued Mr. Ames,, "is that tho names of persons who voted at the Mayoral election last year and failed to Voto at tho City Council election tho year .before, have been struck off cho roll 'if thev do not happen to be ratepayers. Tliis is an important point.and I want you, if you will, to emphasise it, because sonic may be under the ini.pression that because they voted at tho last Mayoral election they are still on the roll. That docs not follow at . all as the last main roll prepared was the one used at the municipal elections two years aso. 1 don't want them .coming to ine on tho day'of the election and making this as an excuse for not seeing to their enrolment. It is tlie duty or every district elector to see that her or his name is on tho roll." Mr. Ames's advice is timely and should bo neglected by none who havo the interests of' the city at heart. Th? returning officer bplieves that the last Wednesday in April next is going-to ud the biggest election day Wellington ever seen. There will probably be tour issues to be submitted to the electors--four ballot papers to bo handled by eleotors. These will be:—

(1) Election of Mayor. (2) Election of City Council. . (3) Election of members of Harbour Board. , ■ (4) Weekly half-holiday referendum. . This will make things somewhat strenuous for the elector, and dccidedly ,V3r " l for the returning officer and his s t a (>- On such on occasion Mr. Ames will naturally require a thoroughly clhcieut stalt. , , ■ mi Smart and efficient clerks m.l be wanted on April 26. How they are to be obtained is a roaster that th< council should consider well ahead. .