THE SOLDIERS' VOTE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 134, 1 March 1919, Page 7

THE SOLDIERS' VOTE

HOW-IT-IS SAFEGUARDED. The Electoral and Defjnce Departments have , been, in consultation with a view to providing full facilities for soldiers who wish to,record'their votes in the forthcoming licensing poll.' So far as 'soldiers under hijspital treatment, are concerned, they are not discharged,' and will therefore be entitled to vot? under the provisions of the. Licensing Amendment Act, 1918. Arrangements are to be made for polling booths at the hospitals ■ and other institutions for the is'o of (lie soldiers who cannot poll ,»t the ordinary booths. - ' Soldiers who receive their discharge 'before March 6, when the rolls close, will not be entitled to vote in the forthcoming election unless they have become registered electors, and havetheir aameq on the roll. The fact that a soldier has been absent from New, Zealand <n mili-. tary service'will not disqualify him. from, registration because of non-residence; so that he may apply for enrolment in the. electorate in wbihli he formerly nesided if ho is not able'to' comply with the month's residential qualification in any other electorate. If 'lie :'s living in a fresh electorate, lie can enrol through the post in his old electorate, and vote' in his own district, or in any district, by' means : of the absent voter's permit. Soldiers who are now being discharged will be handed, a claim for enrolment to enable ,them to register, for the district in which they resided prior to their departure from New Zealand. Soldier? who.land in New Zealand between March 3 and March 't will have their -leave, before discharge extended until April 11, so as.to bring them under the provisions -of the Expeditionary Forces' Voting Act, enabling them to vote as soldiers. If they arrive on or after March 14-. the usual leave prior to discharge will enable them to bo covered by the same Act, and. to vote as soldiers. Special arrangemeuts aro being made to enrol soldiers as ihc-y arrive on the transports. ' '■ The position is different in connection with''Maori soldiers who are returning. The licensing poll lias always been taken on the day of the general election for European members of Parliament, ■ and by ballot on iv special voting - paper. Maori elections aro not necessarily held on the samel day as the Euripeaii election?, jjnd the Maori does j*!t vote by ballot. Another point of difference is that the Maori electorates aro not the same ns the European constituencies. Therefore, Maoris have never "oted in licensing elections, and there was no special reason for bringing tlio Maori voto into the determination of the special licensing poll- on n question on which they had never previously been authorised to exercise the franchise. But Maoris who have not been discharged from the Expeditionary Forco on April 10 will, as soldiers, bo entitled lo voto. If tlioy havo'becn discharged on that date tiie.v will cease to have a special qualification, and will bo included in a body lo whom the determination of the licensing issu.9 has never, been enlritstcd by Parliament.

At tho Polico Court at Richmond (Queensland), on February (i, Charles, Wilka, a jockey, was charged with having unlawfully used an electric battery on a. horse named Half Dock, which involved cruelty: to tho animal. Evidence was given to the elTcct thai: after Half Deck won (ho Club Mile at tha Licensed Victuallers' Race' Club meeting at Richmond a complaint, was made that Wilks used-an clectric battery. Tho.rider at ji ret refusd to allow any .of tho. officials or the police lo search aim, but eventually exposed-lhe battery. Defendant, was fined ilO, together with costs amounting to £5 Os, Bd.