REGISTER YOUR VOTES.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1589, 24 March 1879, Page 2

REGISTER YOUR VOTES.

[prom the “press.”] A few weeks ago we directed attention to the fact that the time for sending in claims to vote expires ou tbe 31st instant. As it is of some importance, in the present state of public affairs in the colony, that every one entitled to vote should have his name ou the electoral roll, we make no apology for returning to the subject again. As our readers are no doubt aware, there are two ways in which names may bo placed ou the roll, either by being included in the list of ratepayers for a municipality or Road Board, or by application under the Act of ISGG. It is with this latter mode that we have to deal at present. A man is entitled to the franchise if lie owns a freehold of the value of £SO; if ho has a leasehold which he has hold for three years, or which has three years to run ; or if lie is a householder. A person possessed of any of these qualifications can, if he sends in his claim in proper form, have his name placed ou the electoral roll of the district in which his qualification is. It is necessary that tho claim should bo in proper form, and sent to the proper officer. With this day’s Press a form of claim to vote is issued to every subscriber. All that has to be done is to fill in the form correctly. It is necessary that the name and surname should be given at full length, the place of abode accurately given, and the nature of the qualification stated, that is whether it is “ freehold.” “ leasehold,” or “ house- “ hold.” Tho place where tho property is situated should also be stated accurately, and where possible the number 'of the section. The claiming clause must then have tho name of tho elector inserted, and also the name of the electoral district, and then it must bo signed before a J.P., the Registration Officer, or a person whose name is already ou tho roll for the district. When this is done the claim must bo sent to tho Registration Officer of tho electoral district.

As wo find that many would-be electors have some difficulty in ascertaining what to do with the claims we give them the required information. As we have said those claims must bo sent to the Registration Officer of the electoral district for which the claim is being sent in. The Registration Officers for the different electoral districts in Canterbury are as follow : City of Christchurch G. L. Lee, Provincial Government Buildings, Christchurch. Aron— GK L. Lee, Provincial Government Buildings, Christchurch. Houthcote —GK L. Leo,, Provincial Government Buildings, Christchurch. Selwyn —GK L. Lee, Provincial Government Buildings, Christchurch. Coleridge—G. L. Lee, Provincial Government Buildings, Christchurch. Cheviot —J. Goodale, Kaikoura. Ashley—G. F. Hewlings, Kaiapoi. Kaiapoi—G. F. Hewlings, Kaiapoi. Akaroa—Justin Aylmer, Akaroa. Lyttelton—W. H. Eyes, Lyttelton. Geraldine —R Beetham, R.M., Tituaru, Timaru —R. Beetham, R.M., Timsru. Gladstone—R. Beetham, R.M., Tim&ru. Some difficulty is f requeutly experienced in ascertaining in what electoral district a claimant resides. The following description of the boundaries of the Canterbury districts may assist some in determining in what district they live: — The Cheviot district lies partly in Nelson and partly in Canterbury. Its southern boundary is the Waipara from the sea to the source of its southern branch, thence by a right lint to to the source of the river Ashley, thence along that river to the south-east boundary of pasturage run 233, thence by a right line passing over the summit of Oxford Hill to the river Waimakariri. The Ashley district is bounded on the north and north-west by the Cheviot district, towards the east by the sea, and by a right line drawn due north and south through trig, pole C 29, on the sonth bank of the Waimakariri, from the Waimakariri to the river Ashley; and towards the

(south by the south hanks of the rivers Ashley and Waimakariri. The Kaiafoi district is bounded towards the north by the Ashley district, towards the east by the sea, towards the south by a right line from trig pole C 27 ou the sea coast to trig pole C 19 on the south bank of the Waimakariri, and by the south bank of that river; and towards the west by the Ashley district. The Lyttelton district is bounded bh the north by the summit of the hills north of Lyttelton Harbor, towards the east and west by right lines drawn north and south through the eastermost and westermost points of the town of Lyttelton ; towards the south by Port Lyttelton. The Selwyn district is bounded on the north by the Ashley district, on the east by the Avon and Heathcote districts, and by the western shore of Lake Ellesmere, and outlets therefrom ; towards the south by the sea ; towards the souih west by the south bank of the Rakaia river; towards the north-west by the Great South road from the Rakaia river to the Selwyn, thence by the Selwyn and Waimakariri road along the western boundary of run 39 to the south hank of the Waimakariri river. The Coleridge district is bounded oh the east and north by the Cheviot and Ashley districts ; towards the south-east and north east by the Selwyn district and the sea; towards the south-west by the north bank of the Rangitata river to the source of its main branch• towards the north-west by the Southern Alps. The Timabu district is bounded on the north by the Opihi river, on the east by the sea, on the south-west by the south bank of the Pareora river, and towards the west and north-west by a small stream to the saddle on the eastern boundary of section 5209, by the eastern boundary of such section to the Tengawai river, and by the western bank of that river to the Opihi, The Gladstone district is bounded towards the north-east and ea-t by the Coleridge and Timaru districts and by the sea, towards the south by the southern boundary of the Provincial district of Canterbury ; and towards the north-west by the Southern Alps. The Geraldine district is bounded on the north-east by the Coleridge district, towards the south-east by the sea, towards the south by the Opihi river, towards the west by a right line drawn from western boundary of pasturage run No. 529, by the western boundary of the said run, and a right line to the western boundary of pasturage run Jo. 470, and by the western boundary of the said run No. 470 to the Rangitata river. The city of Christchurch .includes the city proper, and a portion of the suburb*. The boundaries are : towards the North by the road separating actions 242 and 299 from sections 453 and 135 from the junction of the road west of section No. 242 to the Papanui road, following southerly the said road to the road running be ween secti.ns 136 and 243 F by that road to the road east of setion 2256; towards the East by the last-mentioned road to its junction with the east Chr stehuveh road fo'lowing that road easterly to the Stanmore road; and by the Stanmore r ad crossing the river Avon to the road separating sections 69 and 84, and by that road to the Ferry road, following that road westerly to the Hills road, and by the Hil s road to the road separating sections 62 and 74 ; towards the South by the last mentioned road, and by a straight line drawn from the western >nd of the same to the junction of Wilson’s road with the road leading to the pound, and by the latter road to the Lower Lincoln Road following north-easterly the said road to the road separating sections 113 and 118; towards the west by the lastmentioned road to the Riccarton road, and by a straight line drawn from the north-west comer of section 155 to the road separating sections 18 and 80, and by that road to the road first mentioned. The Avon district is bounded on the north by the Ashley and Kaiapoi districts ; towards the west by the Waimakiriri and Ross road, and the Weeden and Ross road; towards the south by the north bank of the river Avon, from its mouth to the point where it meets the boundary of the city of Christchurch district, thence by the boundary of that district to the south-east boundary of section No, 145, thence by that boundary till it is crossed by a creek running easterly into the river Heathcote, the middle of that creek till it meets a line in continuation of the south-east boundary of section No. 180, the line so continued to the south-east boundary of section No. 180, the middle of the road lying on the north west boundary of section No. 156 as far as a po.nt where that road first meets a branch of the river Heathcote, a line drawn thence due west to a point where it crosses the great South road, and by the great South road ; and towards the east by the sea. The Heathcote district is houndedjj towards the North by the Avon and city of Christchurch districts ; towards the We.-t by the Weeden and Springs road, the Waterholes road by Tancred’s, the Ellesmere, and Lincoln road, and the Drain road to the river Selwyn ; towards the South by the north bank of the river Selwyn to Lake Ellesmere, and by Lake Ellesmere to the mouth of the Halswell; towards ihe East by the western bank of the river Halswell to the western boundary of section 1879, thence by that boundary and the Ahuriri Bush road to the southern boundary of section No. 1901, by that boundary and the ridge of hills, by Cooper’s Knob and Cass’s Peak, to the north-west corner of the town of Lyttdton district, by that district the sea and the shore of the Heathcote estuary. The Akaeoa district is hounded towards the North by the southern shore of Lake Ellesmere, the Heathco e district, the town of Lyttelton district, and the sea ; towards the West by the Heathcote district, by Lake Ellesmere and the outlet therefrom to the sea ; towards the South and Fast by the sea, together with the adjacent islands. It is not necessary to refer to the other existing qualifications. In addition to the qualification we have been discussing, we have the lodger and ratepayer qualifications. By the latter every person who has paid rates during the year ending March is entitled to the franchise. But unfortunately past experience has shown that all ratepayers do not get on the roll. Municipal and Road Board clerks cannot be depended upon to strictly carry out the intention of the Legislature, and would-be electors consequently suffer. In these circumstances, all who possess the qualification would do well to make themselves safe and send in their claims to vote in the manner pointed out in this article.