SOLDIERS VOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 161, 2 April 1919, Page 8

SOLDIERS VOTES

HE ALLEGED "DISFRANCHISEMENT"

DOUBTS

A statement was made by Sir James Allen on the agitation that has 'ieen, raised about the alleged disfranchisement of certain returned soldiers in the coming licensing poll. In the statement the Minister makes it clear that he 1-a.i suspicions whether there is any such anxiety on tho part of returned soldiers as has Iwen renresente;!.

"Apparently there is a great agitation, which has been created," said the Minis, tor, "on the- statement that eertain soldiers will i'lot have the opportunity lo vote on the licensing question on April 10. As the Government has made every possible provision lo allow members of the Expeditionary Force to vote, whether in England or at sea or back in NewZealand and undischarged, and also it I.as given every opportunity to discharged men, to enrol, (o the extent, latterly of placing a form for enrolment at their disposal, it is difficult to fathom the reason for this agitation. It may come from some, returned soldiers who are tiis. charged and have not taken the' opportunity to enrol, but I can secure no_ definite information of this factor. When the deputation met me and Sir Francis Bell, three of the returned soldiers' re. presentatives were asked if they knew of a single case in which a discharged soldier would not be able to vote, and they answered-'No.' Mr. Boddie, a provincial president of the Farmers' Union, in a telegram to me, indicated that fliero were somo who would be disfranchised. "When asked if he knew of any, ho replied: 'Will do what we can to locate disfranchised men.' He had not located them so far, evidently. "Mr. Sidey, M.P., also telegraphed to me on the subject, and in response to mv inquiry whether he knew of any men who would be unable to vote lie stated: 'Have endeavoured to ascertain the num. her of returned soldiers disfranchised in DtiDedin. So far as I have been able to gather there are very few.' Might 1 call attention lo the fact that he coe» not say they are any? "Mr. ■ Gunson, Mayor of Auckland, who has also telegraphed to me, states in response to my telegram: 'In reply io your telegram of March 24. as to number affected in Auckland district: It is impossible for me to assess these, but there are a considerable number who hnva alreadv represented the position to me, an! the Returned Soldiers' Association advises me also that the number will be considerable.' .

"I telegraphed tho Returned Soldiers' Association on March 2fi: 'I shall be glad if you will inform me whether you have any definite information as to number of returned discharged soldiers in Auckland district who find themselves unable to vote at licensing poll on April 10?' Sdfnr T have received no reply. , "X think tho returned soldiers nnd the public have sufficient insight to realise what the object of this agitation is. There is a very important, question to decido on April" 10. and those on either side who are actively fighting the battlo for their own sections are determined to lose no opportunity to enlist sympathy and secure votes."

Officers of tho Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association have not located in Wellington any of the returned soldier* who are stated' to'be "disfranchised" as far as the licensing poll is concerned. There may be somo unenrolled discharged soldiers in the city, but if so they have not reported" themselves to the association. Tim secretary of the Wellington R.S.A. (Mr. Curtaync) took special steps to secure the enrolment of men who returned shortly b?fore the closing of tho rolls, nnd was ablo to send a hundred or more completed enrolment forms to the Registrar. Perhaps this accounts for the lack of complaints in Wellington.