THE EVENING MAIL. MONDAY, MARCH 26. 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 288, 26 March 1877, Page 2

THE EVENING MAIL.

MONDAY, MARCH 26. 1877.

Vent* are thinpt. snd ft drop of ink falling upon a uvav produce that which nuvkes Ihousiiuls

Wrru the close of the present month the opportunity afforded to persona of having their names placed upon the Electoral Rolls of the Colony for the present vcar passes away. Those possessing have not already done so, should thereehe necessary qualifications, and who fore lose no time in putting in their claims to the privileges granted by tli> franchise. That there are numbers who hare so far neglected to enrol their names we have little doubt. Every election held in the Colony brings prominently before us the fact that numbers, either through carelessness or thoughtlessness, deprive themselves' of out- vi the greatest privileges accorded to free men. That such a state of tilings should exist is greatly to be dep to red, for there are times when questions fraught with the greatest consequences to the public are brought forward for the decision of the electors—times when every man should be prepared, by Ids vote, to express his opinion upon matters of the gfealsst moment. And yet how. many, shroitgfr inditFerence or callous carelessnests, fait to place a position to do so. Does it never occilr x to such as these that they, by their indifference, fail to perform a dhty which they owe not only to thetnselved>»buc to the public at large? It is a ducp&ivhieh every man -i!f >it!<t Teal profttl to fulfil—a duty which free men only are allowed to perforin. It is true that machinery has been provided whereby the names of those paying rates are ordered to be placed upon the rolls of their districts by the bodies collecting those rates; but, as the Otnrjo G nani'ton points out, that machinery is very inefficient and unsatisfactory. This was fully demonstrated last year, when many were disfranchised through the informal manner in which various Road Boards and other bodies did their work of compilation. That the same thing will occur again is very probable ; and persons should not therefore .the chance of theicxSnes being placed upon the rolls ! by this means. The best and- only sure | way of secuiing t&e privilege of voting at it fftr' tJifisA entitled to do so to Had in their claims in the authorised form 1 io the Returning Officer. This must be done during the present week, and anyone who fails to do so will not have another opportunity of getting hia name placed upon tlte voters list until next year. During the interval great events may arise, and the electors of jthe Colony be cabled upon to give theif-' decision. Although a general election is not, according to the ordinary course of things, near at hand, even that may arise. On this subject the Guardian has the follow" irtg pertinent remarks :—"lt is not given to anyone to say with what big events the womb of tlte future may be pregnant, A

the or six months' residence, these by an in 1875, every lodger who has resided continuously in the same house for the twelve months preceding the 31st of December last is also entitled to have his name placed upon the roll for the electoral district in which he has resided.