REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2939, 22 September 1925, Page 2

REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS

COMPULSORY PROVISIONS EXTENDED. According to an announcement made in the House of Representatives last evening by the Prime Minister, persons who have not deliberately evaded registration as voters under the new electoral law may now come forward and register without fear of prosecution (says the Dominion). Accredited political workers are to be empowered to witness the signatures of people unable to attend before Government officials for enrolment.

“Tn response to representations made in the House recently that there are a number of persons who have failed to register under the compulsory provisions of the Electoral Act passed last session,” stated the Prime Minister (Hon. J. G. Coates), “it is announced that if such persons make application for registration and satisfy the Registrar of Electors concerned that the neglect to register was not due to wilful the elector can rest assured wilful default the elector can rest assured that he will not 'be prosecuted. To faedinte the jegistration of electors who are unable to go to the office of the Registrar of Electors or a post office it has been decided to give accredited persons who are engaged on field work by I lie various organisations authority to witness the signatures of any persons desiring to register. In addition, police officers will also have full au - thority to witness signatures. In country districts it is expected that this arrangement will be of great help to those not having the opportunity of going before the Registrar or a postmaster.” In reply to a question by Mr. T. K.Sidney (Dunedin South), the Prime Minister said that the' electors could now be sure that they would not be prosecuted. The law compelled people to register. Quite a number had failed to do so, through no fault of their own, but now they could come forward without fear of prosecution, provided they could give a satisfactory explanation. MV. 11. Poland (Ohinemuri) : What about the three months’ residence?

The Prime Minister replied that he had gone into that matter very carefully, but be was unable to inform the House of the exact position that evening.

Mr. J. Edie (Clutha), who had some difficulty in making himself heard, was understood to object to the new proposals on the ground that they would encourage “rollstuffing,” but the Prime Minister’s reply to this observation was that only accredited persons would be allowed to witness signatures, and that the applications to be witnessed would be most carefully reviewed by the electoral officials. Mr. 11. Masters (Stratford) : They have authority as electors under the Act. Mr Coates remarked that no authority had been given to persons other than electoral officers to enrol voters. All the work had been done by the officials. Mr. Masters: Any elector may witness a signature. Mr. Coates agreed that an elector of a district might witness a signature of a person in his own district upon an application form, but (hat was as far as his rights went. Air. P. Fraser (Wellington Central), asked whether, as in previous years, accredited representatives of organisations like the prohibition parly would be constituted to act practically as deputy electoral officers and allowed to enrol voters.

The Pgime Minister replied that the position was not quite the same. Bueh persons would he allowed to witness applications, but all applications, obtained in this way would he scrutinised by the registrars.