BARRIER ISLANDERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 221, 11 September 1908, Page 2

BARRIER ISLANDERS.

THEIR ELECTORAL DISABILITIES. By Telegraph.-—Press Association. r ■ Auckland, Last Night. There are at least eight eligible electors in New Zealand who are virtually disfranchised. They reside on Little Barrier Island, and have written to Re-gister-General of Electors at Devonport to know before enrolling why'ther they would lie allowed to vole by post; otherwise they state there was no chance of them being able to vote at all. The Fitzroy post office would be their nearest polling booth, and it. is 14 miles across the water, and even if they could gel across by means of rf boat, all that were entitled to vote) could not get away. Little Harrier Is- 1 land is owned by the Government, and/ kept as a sanctuary for native birds. Under the. regulations that Stale cm-; ployed inhabitants can't all leave this island at once, the letter of Mr. Shakespeare, the head of the island! dwellers, was referred to the Elector(feneral, who replied that there wad no provision on the Statute for voting by post. There is power lo issue absent voters' permits, but from a perusal of the Act, it is clear that the Slmkespeares are not in this category. A further dillicultv confronts them iu section 103, which lays down that n polling booth can't, he erected where there are not at least. 15 volet's. A firm of solicitor have taken the matter up, and are corresponding willl the view' of ascertaining whether or not the islanders may be admitted to vote as seamen. However, it. seems Hint they are completely baulked. They can't leave the island. A booth can't be placed on Ihe island, because there are not sufficient voters to permit the establishment of one, and thev can't vote as seaman unless the island is declared to be a ship, whilst the rights of oven eight voters should in the ordinary and wide sense be attended. Tt must also be remembered tlint this at, first sight, small number is quite large enough to turn an election. At the previous election for this (the Waitemata) very electorate, the seat was gained bv n mnjovity of one in the voting. Mr. John Bollard was returned in the fight against Mr. Malcolm N T ico] by the majority of a single vote.