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Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 899, 28 March 1878, Page 2

We have more than once, and recently, drawn attention to the necessity of individuals registering themselves as electors of the district for which they are qualified to exercise the franchise, but there is another duty, and devolving upon a different set of persons, which needs to be referred to while there is yet time to do soe.

In the sssion of 1875, an Act was passed entituled "The Registration of Electors Act, 1875, and its provisions ara applicable to the whole of the local governi ing bodies— whether Municipal Corporations or Highway District and Town Boards. That which individuals — through proscrasdnation, lor apathy, or (purposely) from a I desire to avoid voting at all — have failed to do for themselves, the Act provides that the local governing bodies shall do for them. On the 31st day of March m each year — and wheu, as m the case this year, the 31st falls on » Sunday, then, on tho 30th day of March— the clerk of every Borough or County Council, and of every Road Board, shall compile an alphabetical list of all persons, being males of twentyone years or upwards, who shall have been assessed to and shall hare made payment of any rate struck by such governing body, m resp^ctof rateable property, situate m an electoral district, within the year on the 30 th day of March, then instant. These lists, when prepared, must be counter-signed by the Mayor, or Chairman of the Board, as the case may be, and forwarded to the Registration Officer of the electoral district on,, or before, the 7th day of April following. In the case of a Board or Borough — say, for instance, the Borough of Hamilton — where part is m one electoral district and part m another, the clerk must make a separate list for each electoral district. These lists when received by the Registration Officer will be dealt with by him as so many applications to be placed on the electoral roll, just as individual applications sent m under the torm prescribed by " The registration of Electors Act, 1866," are treated. As we have said, the clerks of the local governing bodies are required to make out their lists and the i Mayors and chairmen to send them m by the dates specified, and the] penalty for non performance of this work is a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds to be lecovered summarily under the "Justice of the Peace Act," 1866.

We should hare reminded clerks of local bodies of this duty earlier, but that it might hare relaxed mdi vidutl effort m the work of registration, and ca»se individuals perhaps, to rely upon the performance of this duty by local bodies, some of which might utterly neglect to perform it. There are others, of course, and a great many who would not be affec ed by tho provisions of the Act of 1 875, persons who have not paid their current rates due, or persons who, not liable to be v ated, are, nevertheless, qualified to claim a right to the suffrage, as m the case of landlord and tonant of the sumo property, both of whom can claim to vote upon the property, but only one of whom may appear on the valuation list as liable to be rated. At the present time, when the existing liberal franchise is sought to be extended, it might be m teres' ing to some of our readers to know exactly what, are the qualifications which entitle a man to have his name placed on the electoral roll, at the same time we may state, that the q mstion of mortgage, of actual value of the freehold or leasehold property or annual value of the house occupied is never strictly taken into consideration The Act of 1866 provides that the claimant must be of the full age of 31 years,

I and possess one of the following qualifications — Having a freehold iv possession., situated m the district 4b r which the vote is to be given, of the value of £50 above a 1 charges and encumbrances, and of, or b» which he has been seized or entitled either iv law or m equity, for at least six calundar mouths next before the last registration of electors ; or have a leasehold estate m possession situated m such district, of the clear annual value of £10, held upon a lease which, at the time of registration, shall have not less than three years to run ; or having a leasehold so situated, and of such value aforesaid, of which he has been m possession tor three years or upwards next before such registration ; or being a householder within

such district,, occupying a tenement, within the limit ot a town (co be proclaimed as such by the Governor for the purpose of this Act) of t c clear annual value of £5, and having resided therein six calendar mouths next before such registration. As we have said, the condition as to value, length of lease or occupation, &c, are not strictly insisted upon, and we scarcely think that the man who cannot acquire such qualification is worthy of having a voice m the Government of those who can.