THE Grey River Argus TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1869.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 479, 9 February 1869, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1869.

No attention lias up to the pieseiifc i time been paid by the residents hi this ! towu to the fact that the present is the period during which registration of voters can be effected. The term allowed by law expires on the 31st of next month, after which uo applications can be received. This is a matter of far more importance than at first sight appears, because if no immediate action is taken in it, the electoral roll for this portion of the Westland Boroughs will remain in statu quo, while that of the portion embraced by Hokitika will be vastly increased, and the preponderating voting power will rest with that town. The last election for the representation of the Boroughs in the General Assembly, when a Greymouth man was returned, read hhe Hokitika people a lesson which they will not easily forget, and which they have since striken hard to impi'ove. They appointed a committee and a canvasser, and for months past the most I active steps have been taken to secure the registration of a large number of additional voters. In this they have been very successful, aud we believe several hundreds of names of residents in Hokitika will this year be added to the roll of the Boroughs. Unless the residents here are willing to allow what power they have hitherto exercised practically to be taken away from them, they must at once proceed to take active measures to counteract the influence which has thus been brought to bear against them. The large increase in the population of this town which has taken place recently, satisfies us that | there is a very large body of the j residents unregistered who are fully entitled to vote; but who, as is too often the case, are too apathetic to take the trouble to have their lvimes placed upon the electoral roll. It is strange that men should require to be solicited, and in nmuy cases almost foi'ced, to secure those electoral privileges which they ought to be proud to have the opportunity of possessing ; but still the fact remains that this is the case, and we need not go beyond our own town to meet many illustrations of it. But if the people are blameable in this matter, the Government are doubly so, for instead of facilitating by every means in their power the registration of voters, th«y appear to be anxious to throw every obstacle in their way. The officers who are appointed to receive the applications for registration can only take such as are made out in the form set out in the schedule of the Act, but they will not supply the forms ; indeed, we believe they have not got them to supply ! This is practically saying that no more registrations will be made ; and a more ridiculous position for a Government to take up could scarcely be imagined. No wonder the people do not interest themselves in the matter. It is to overcome this and other obstacles thrown in the way of registration that a working committee of the citizens ought to be appointed, to see that the forms are properly drawn up and provided for the general public, and to appoint a canvasser, whose duty it will be to see lhat the names of all Unregistered persons who possess the necessary qualification, are added to the roll. We can easily predict what the inevitable result wiU be in the event of another election, if immediate and energetic steps are not taken in the matter — we will be at the mercy of Hokitika, until the promised readjustment of the representation of the Colony is made, which events may delay for years to come.