THE LICENSING POLL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 74, 21 December 1918, Page 7

THE LICENSING POLL

VOTES OF SOLDIERS

REGULATIONS FOR THE'BALLOT

■ Regulations are gazetted for.the taking of the special poll on the licensing question under the Act of last session, and especially for. (he taking of tho votes of New Zea'land soldiers wherever (hey may be. The date of the' poll is fixed as April 10, 1919. Every soldier in New Zealand is to be entitled to vote, and tho voting of such men will ho conducted by electoral' officers nppoinfed hy the head of the Department. Tho soldier desiring to vote must produce his military pny-book, togetlier with a certificate from nn officer or other competent authority to.say that he is a member of the Expeditionary Force, at present in a trnininj? camp in New Zealand, nut if a soldier has returned to New Zealand after February 1, 1919, and lie has not been able to arrange to vote in the ordinary way as a civilian, he shall still bo entitled to Tote in this way as <i soldier even if he is not in a training camp at tho time of the taking of the noil. Such a soldier is to bo entitled to vote on making to the returning officer a declaration that he, is a, soldier and entitled to vote .under the reinilntions. The returning officer of soldiers vote? is not to count the ljfillot papers, but is to seal up the ballot boxes and forward them to the Chief Electoral Officer nt Wellington. The counting will done in the Department's 'office. Provision is made fov theanpointmqnt of scrutineers to every polling place for soldiers in New Zealand, one representing those who favour National Continuance and one from those favouring National Prohibition with compensation. Provision is made for the taking of a, poll of soldiers on shins on the way out to New Zealand at the time when the votimr should, take- place. In this ease the High Commissioner is authorised to apooint a military officer in charge of Hie ballot hoxp.-i and voting papers. The officer is to have a roll of the men taken on the appointed day, and to deliver the sealed boxes of papers to the Chief Electoral Officer in Wellington after the arrival of the ship in New Zealand. To take the vote? of soldiers in Samoa fin electoral officer is to he appointed by the Dennrfment, and he also is to forwml the sealed boxes to the head office in Wellington. Practically identical arrangements aro to be made for the taking of the votea nf soldiers on all fronts and in Great Britain. The fronts mentioned are Western or Central Euroue, Egypt. Southern Enrniw. or A' ! n. for Ihe. poll in Britain and France (he High ("ommis-. sioner or some person authorised bv, him will anpoint the nolling d'mws and conduct the votinsr. Every soldier is to havo a rijjht' to vote if lie produces his naybook and satisfies the returning officer that he is a member of Hie New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The electoral oihcors appointed l>y the Hirh Commissioner me required to return the boxes to the offices of the High Commissioner in London, .where they will be counted, the High 'Commissioner being responsible. As poon n* the votes are counted the High Commissioner must f'able flip figures to New Zealand. For the forces in Egvpt, Southern Europe, and Asia a slightly different arrangement is made. It would lose much time to send the ballot papers to England fn he counted, nnd the scheme is that th» High Onmissip-er shall nnpoint an electoral officer in Esypt to take charge of the poll of "11 soldiers on tlipse. f''"ii(=.j TiP'nrniiif offii-rs nppoii>r«l by this controlling officer for the taking.of vote?, perhans in far-away Palestine, an* not to 'enunt the vntes, but to forward (lie sealed boxes in flf° conti'olliiifolficpv in Egypt. By tl'is officer H le vote* will be cotinM. ami lip will raWe his figures to the Hi?h ■Commissioner, who in turn will cable them to Npw Zealand.

Except- for the taking of flokliers' vot»s in Xew Zealand, v,r> to lie allowed to not. Til every n]«<!e Hie uollin? will take t>l np» on Anvil 10. 19R Provision is mnde for assishnen by the returning officer to men who liy renson of injuries received are unnble to ninrfc j-.lieir linllot. nan"''s. In ever*- uneh ease Hie returning officer is minimi to endorse on Hie ballot nrwr Hint Hie paner has been mivrked by ln'm at the request of the voter.