NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2132, 25 April 1914, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The statement that there ate over 40,000 names on tiio municipal electoral roll. an. increaso of 06.00 com- 1 paved with the number on the roll last year, will naturally arouse some distrust concerning th« legality of; the enrolments which have been recently n;shod in to the Returning Office, ' The franehiso for municipal elections is not so wide as 'that lor J elections to the House of Representatives. Yet, according to the figures j now supplied, i« would seem that I practically as many doctors have ] been enrolled for the coming Mayoral Election as were enrolled for the four City seats at the last ■ General Election. It may be said that the population ha 3 grown a good deal siacc December, 1911, but ■this could hardly account for tho heavy addition to the municipal roll as compared •with kst year's figures; nor can it be regarded as satisfactorily explaining how it is that- so largo a proportion o:f adult citizens cofllo to i possess the qualifications necessary tor enrolment. A correspondent suggests that the only explanation is that, there has been a systematic, attempt ftfc Toll-stuffinK; and that many people not qualified by law have been induced by canvassers to sign enrolment forms without knowing the risk they were ruining in making a false declaration. A close scrutiny of the enrolment forms will no doubt be made with a viow to checking any auspicious cases, and such steps as tho law permits should be taken to bring offenders to book. Polling officers will be instructed to keep an alert watch far persons voting under assumed names. Tho Act of last session makes provision for the defection of plural voting and also provides penalties for various offences. A news article on this subject will be found in another column.

The letter from Mb. J AMES Hi;t<3fl;iSQ?r, Editor of tho Otago Daily Times, which we publish m this issue, may net appeal to tho more parochial of our readers familiar with the financial needs of the University College here, but, as Mb. Hutchison points out, the matter is a national one. Otago possesses tho only Medical School in New ■ Zealand, and has endeavoured for many years past to raise it to- such 4 standard of' efficiency as will ensure ■that the joune; JSew Zealancter anxious fio qualify for a. pla<sfe iw the ranks of the iiiedicat profession shall he afforded, every r#s.on»b.lo oppor* timity of doihij Hitherto, unfortunately, funds have not permitted the College authorities to provido pathological and bacteriological laboratories sueh as are necessary not merely for tho advancement of : the studies of the College fetudent, i but also for the benefit of tho medical profession generally. Aa effort is now being made, and has been almost crowned with success, to meet this requirement Of the £15,000 . needed for the undertaking, a sum of £6500 has already been subscribed in Otago, and, if another £1000 is forthcoming, the total, with a Government subsidy of £l for £l which has been promised, will enahlo the wofk t-0 bo at onco put in hflud. It is concerning this £1000 that. Mr, HrTCinsoN" writes, in the hope that people in this part of New Zealand who can afford to assist will recognise the merits of the cause which he advocates, and contribute something towards what must be regarded as a national institution of benefit to all classes of the comm-ftnity, -

Ai.tnot'<stt tlio contest for the City Mayoralty hsa not excited any very great; interest, Mr. .7. P. mike's meeting at the Concert Ofiatnbcr o£ ■the Town Hal! last evening was bnlh well attended and enthusiastic. Mji, iuliifs address did sot break iiny new ground of any particular importance, but it was a clear and straigiitfonvavd statement of . his views on civic affairs and also contained a good deal of information cottftrii.tHg local municipal 'roaU<m>, Dunne fa twelve mouths of ofiiee

the retiring Mayor lias acquitted himself with credit, andhas falsified ; thp hopes of those of his opponents who imagined that he was not likely to rise to Hie res no nsi bHi tic s of the Mayoral position. During the very trying time which followed on the strike disorders, lift, Luke rase to the occasion in a manner which perhafts surprised even those who nad full conhdence in Ms capacity for the role of Mayor in norma] times. He showed a firmness and strength of purpose, r.oupkd with soundness of judgment, which proved of the greatest; value during the most critical stage of the trouble, and if for no other reason than this thoroughly deserved the vote oi thanks and confidence passed-in him by kit flight's meeting, fin expression of opinion which it is confidently expected will be repeated at the poll on Wednesday next