LICENSING REFERENDUM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 140, 8 March 1919, Page 7

LICENSING REFERENDUM

QUESTION OF VOTING PRIVILEGES. ' A statement on the subject of right of voting at tho licensing referendum on April 10 lias been mado by' tho. Chief Electoral Officer in an official letter to tho New Zealand Executive of tho chartered clubs. The executive asked tho Chief Electoral Officer "'.'whether- those elcotors who had been removed under authority of Section 7 of tho Licensing Amendment Act, 1918, were entitled to vote at tho forthcoming special licensing poll." "I have to advise," ho replies, "that it is provided by Section 18 of the Legislature Amendment Act, 1914-, that at any election any person whoso name is ' removed from any certified copy of. the roll supplied to. the returning : officer in pursuance of Section 24 of the Legislature Amendment Att; 1910, or 'who'voted at tho-last preceding election in the district, but-whose nuino'ddes not "appear on tiio said roll, applies to vote, lie shall bo. given a ballot paper on his making a declaration in the form numbered 1 2 in the schedule of the Act. This provision applies to tho forthcoming special licensing poll, and in accordance therewith the following persons may vote:— '|(1) Those electors who voted at the last flection, "under, tho' Legislature- Act, 1903, and who still retain their-qualifi-cations as electors, and whose names are ruled out of tho roll supplied to''the Deputy Returning Officers. "(2) Thoso electors who voted on declaration at tho last election as nbovo mentioned, and who still retain their qualifications as electors of tho district in which they vote. "(3) Thoso electors who joined tho Expeditionary Forces, and 'who- voted at any of tho several military camps under tho Expeditionary Forces Act, 1911,. and have since returned to tlioir district to reside. Tift only .exceptions..in. this case.are thoso soldiers, who were ui;(!er 21 years of ago when 'they joined tho Expeditionary Forces and who havo rot yet attained that age. , "(A) Thoso electors whoso names have boen removed under tho provisions : of Section 7 of the Licensing.Amendment Act, 1918, a,nd are not disqualified from again making application to lie rii;«in placed on tho roll,"