COMING ELECTION

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1922, Page 1

COMING ELECTION

CLEANSING THE ROLLS

LETTER-CARRIERS TO BE CHIEF AGENTS FOR THE WORK.

CO M I’CLSO R Y R EG! STB ATJ ON

This being election year, the work of cleansing the rolls will shortly be .Undertaken. Within the next few weeks the department, in co-operation with the l’osal Department, will commence to ake enrolments in all constituencies and purge the old role. It is intended to establish in the four chief con res electoral bureaux, where information can be obtained by electors in regard to all the surrounding- constituencies and enrolments made.

Postmen will be the principal agents for purging and extending the rolls. They will check off the existing entries, and make fresh enrolments where necessity arises. This will be done in most cases by the men on the usual rounds, but it is intended in a number of towns to set aside lettercairriers ior the special work of the Electoral Department. It is considered highly probable that compulsory registration will be brought into operation in New Zealand after next election. It is claimed that the experience of the Australian Commonwealth has been highly satisfactory under the new system. It is a breach of the law to fail to enrol, and it has been found that electors readily I'eeognise their obligation, reminded as they are by large posters detailing the procedure. Where offen ces ll've been committed the electoral officers have power to deal privately with them in minor cases and to impose nominal fines. There has been no necessity to refer to the Magistrate’s Court to deal with this class of offence. Australian experience \ which is at the disposal of the New Zealand electoral officers, goes to show that under compulsory enrolment the rolls are always up to date and ready for an election. They are kept on ca.rd indexes, and this has been found an effective method for quick comparison to prevent duplication of names or enrolment in more than one constituency. Enrolments are more numerous than when the elector had to be ca.joled (as an Australian authority puts it) to get on the roll. There were 103,595 more electors enrolled forth© last poll than could be placed on riie lists under the system which New Zealand follows.