DOMINION ELECTORS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1943, Page 2

DOMINION ELECTORS

NUMBER ON ROLLS LATEST AVAILABLE FIGURES. STATEMENT BY CHIEF OFFICER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.). WELLINGTON, This Day. \At the end of December last there were 917,215 names on the general electoral roll of New Zealand, irrespective of those on the special military , roll which is maintained for men serving overseas. It is stated by the chief electoral officer, Mr G. G. Hodgkins, that the compulsory provisions of the Electoral Act are being satisfactorily complied with. The main electoral roll completed and printed by September, 1941, for the general election which it was then supposed would be held shortly, contained 894,543 names. Since then, 87,538 new enrolments had been recorded up. to the end of December last, while 64,866 names were removed from the various rolls through transfers, deaths, and other such causes. In addition, changes of address were notified within electoral districts. j The total general roll in 1935, when 90.75 per cent voted, was 919,798, and in 1938, when 92.85 per cent voted, it wa5'995,173. There was a big increase in population during this period, but since then there have been few civilian arrivals in the country, due to the influence of wartime conditions, and a fairly large percentage of voters are on active service overseas, reducing the latest figure to 917,215. Should shortage of paper necessitate the use of the general roll printed in 1941, it may be necessary to print a supplementary roll at an early date, showing new registrations on, and deletions from, the general roll. The national licensing poll is, by statute, due to be conducted with this year’s general election. . Registration of electors is compulsory under the Electoral Act. There is also an obligation to notify the registrar of any change of address.