Hour Approaches

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 397, 4 July 1928, Page 8

Hour Approaches

Preparations for General Election

THE hour of the New Zealand elector approaches. The main roll which will entitle him to exercise his franchise at the General Election closes to-morrow, and thereafter, up to a date yet unappointed, applications for registration will be recorded on the supplementary list. In recent xears the Statute law has been tightened and the onus of comprehensive record has been transferred from the organising political parties to the elector himself. Auckland voters are facing their obligations with painstaking exactitude.

The marshalling of elective forces has been recognised by the State to be a cardinal factor in the correct exercise of the people’s intelligent vote, and in compelling electors to register their names as soon as they qualify for the franchise, the law approaches the limit of discretion in facilitating a popular choice of Parliamentary candidates. Th 9 State virtually leads the political horses to the water-trough of the ballot box, and, in judicious consistency with the proverb of old, refrains from compelling them to drink. Endeavours have been made by certain political factions to introduce compulsory voting to the Dominion, but the authorities have so far refrained from this imposition upon the intelligence of an already enthusiastic community. BUSY AUCKLAND In Auckland there are approximately 100,000 electors, embraced by

nine electoral districts, and throughout the province about one-third of the Parliamentary representation Is assessed. This city then calls for more than ordinary attention in the correct compilation of lists, and the task of the Registrar of Electors, Mr. Frank Evans, is not one of leisure and comfort. On the contrary, the staff at the Auckland office is having an exceptionally busy time. The qualifications for the New Zealand franchise are simple. One must have resided in the Dominion for 12 months at any time, and for three months in a particular district immediately prior to registration. At one time four months’ grace was given electors to register after completing a year in New Zealand, but the amended legislature now compels re-

gistration within one month after their year is completed. The elector must be British born or a naturalised Britisher in New Zealand. PUZZLING THE REGISTRAR The penalty for non-enrolment is first a fine of ss, and subsequently a recurring fine of £l, which continues until the defect is rectified. There are many popular misconceptions in the minds of the people, and many omissions are made which burden the shoulders of the registrar. One woman writes: “Please note that my address is now No. 23 Blank Street, Blankville.” The registrar scratches his head—justifiably puzzled, for he knows iv>t whether this lady previously resifl 1 in Invercargill, or on the tip of the North Cape. Rather than search the Dominion rolls he writes to her for information. A young lady, who is blossoming into womanhood, and beginning to probe the meaning of the word “democracy,” sends a cautious note: “I have now turned 21, and would like my name to be placed on the roll.” This is not enough. The registrar insists upon the pleasure of a call from the young lady, in order that she may fill in the prescribed card. Others write their names with such hopeless illegibility that neither the registrar nor his discerning staff is able to determine whether it is Gustoffason or plain Smith. Three things therefore are necessary:— (1) Give your old address in notification of change. (2) Call personally when desiring registration. (3) Write your surname legibly. SEAMEN AND THEATRICALS The meticulous observation of these three golden rules will go far toward ensuring for the habitually careless, as well as the politically unsophisticated elector, a correct record of his civil privileges when the polling clerk ticks off his name on General Election Special provisions are made for seamen and theatrical people and commercial travellers. Seamen are deemed to have lived in New Zealand if they are engaged on ships trading exclusively in New Zealand territorial waters, and if they habitually reside in any one port when ashore, they must register there; otherwise they must register at the port at which they signed on. In cases where a port embraces several electoral districts —such as Auckland — they are allowed to choose. Commercial travellers and theatricals are bound by the year’s residence in the Dominion, but not by the three months’ residence in a particular district.

Politicians and people are becoming imbued with the enthusiasm of a general election fight; politicians and people therefore must In turn do their part to ensure that the fight is fair and that the Parliament elected will be a reflex of major sentiment.