ROLL-PURGING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 22, 16 June 1914, Page 7

ROLL-PURGING.

POSTMEN GETTING TO WORK,

NEW PROCESS DESCRIBED.

Upon the pestman and the country 'policeman wili mainly fall the important duty of preparing a complete roll for use in the coming general election. What is being done officially in this may not,, of course, supersede the enrolment activities of various organisations, nor will it altogether take away the responsibility of every adult to see that he or the is propor'lv enrolled. Early in July letter carriers will take out upon their rounda small red cards, each bearing the name of an elector, his registered address aiid occupation. In the event of the: person to whom the card is addressed still residing at the addrew given, , the postal officer will endorse the card to that effect. In the case of an elector having-' left that address and the post'office hold* his new address, it will be endorsed on the card. The cards will subsequently be returned to the various registrars of electors by the Postal Department. Then the registrars will take the necessary action under the Legislature Act to deal with -all changes of addresses), and o c those whose whereabouts- is unknown. The method to be adopted ensures the verification of u\ery name registered on the electoral noils throughout the Dominion.

The enrolling of electors will also lkundertaken by postmasters and letter carriers, similarly with the purging of the roll. These officers ■will be authorised by registrar of electors to witntes tlie signatures of claimants for enrolment. As an example of "how it is proposed to carry out the work, the chief electoral officer informs me tlhat each letter carrier on Ms walk will ho supplied with pads of enrolment forms, and will ascertain from- every householder in his particular district whfere there arc any members of his household not on the roll. If he finds there »rcf foe will immediately take steps to secure their enrolment. If. however, this cannot be effected at the time, the aiecessary forms and addressed envelopes will be left at the house for attention by those concerned before the letter carrier makes Ms next call. When a claimant fills in the form, he is required to state whether he k already registered in, another electorate. In such a tiae (registrar receiving the claim takes immediate action to have the name of the elector in question removed from the former roll. This practically amounts 'to a double check upon the purging of the roll. Registrars are being specially instructed that the enrolment of electors by themselves is under no circumstances to cease at any period during the purging of tne roll by the post office, the closing day fo r which is fixed by the Legislature Act as the : day on which the writ issues, i

Supplementary rolls flowing all fresh enrolments to March 31 last, and containing the numbers of afll electors removed by the various registrars by reason of death, transfer, or failure to vote, ".ittvo been at the public disposal for some time, and 'have been utilise*! by organisations already actively preparing for the crucial test in December.