ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 132, 8 June 1925, Page 6

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

EFFECT OF COMPULSORY

REGISTRATION

INCREASES IN NUMBER OF

ENROLMENTS

DRIFT TO THE SUBURBS INDICATED.

The effect of the compulsory registration of electors brought about by the legislation of last session is shown by statistics obtained from the Electoral Department. The total registrations to date -do not exceed the number of names on tho rolls at 'the last General Election in 1922, but it is expected that laterreturns will show that compulsion has resulted in the number of re-

corded voters being substantially added to. The detailed figures for the principal electoral areas afford interesting information concerning the drift of population.

The new system of compiling the electoral rolls was inaugurated by the Electoral Office at New Year—about .five months ago—and provisional rolls for the information of all concerned have now been compiled by the Department. The lists are not complete, for returns are still being received fortnightly from many of the 76 electoral districts in the Dominion. The total number of names on tho roll up till 20th April was 679,376._ This falls many thousands < short of the number of electors on the rolls at the last General Election, when ■700,111 electors were listed. This, however, represented the main roll and two supplementary rolls compiled right up to tlie date of the issue of tho writs for ihe election, so that tho comparison is not a lair one. "Up to 15th May 12.304 additional registrations have- been ' effected, increasing the total to 691,680. Further returns received up till 31st May liave not yet been collated, but they represent steady increases in all electorates. DRIFT OF POPULATION, The drift of population from city areas I to the outlying suburbs consequent upon the growing popularity of suburban residence and tlie steady advance of commerce in the business districts of the. towns is indicated by a comparison of the figures for 1922 aiid 1925. The drift from the business and industrial areas is specially conspicuous in the • Wellington returns, which are as follow:—

It will be noted that the number of registrations in Wellington North, and particularly in Wellington Central, is less than the number on the rolls in 1922, while there are increases in every other case. Making allowance for the fact that the 1922 figures represent three rolls, it is evident that the deficits in these electorates are accounted for by the replacement of former residences by offices, warehouses, and factories, and that the occupants are now living in the- suburbs. This is also indicated by the large increase in the number of names on the- roll for Wellington Suburbs, which embraces the growing districts of Karori, Miramar, and Seatoun. The Wellington registrations up to 15th May exceed those of 1922 by more than two thousand.

IN OTHER.CENTRES. The same trend is observable in the other cities. The figures for Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin are as follows :—

AUCKLAND,

CHRISTCHURCK.

DUNEDIN.

THE RESIDENTIAL QUALIFICATION The returns submitted to date are aflccled by the fact that under the legislation of last session the period of residence in mi electoral district before an elector is qualified to vote was increased from one month to three months. Largo numbers of electors who have shifted taeir place of residence within the last two or throe months are therefore waiting until the required period under the amended law has expired before submitting .their returns.

The progress of registration is regarded hy the electoral authorities as very satisfactory. The change in systcftn has undoubtedly facilitated and accelerated the task oi . compiling the rolls. Ono result of the compulsory system will ba that the usual last minute rush to re■gister before the General Election will be done away with to a lnrn-e extent, and the supplementary rolls Will be much smaller, documents .thaji they have been in past years. Those persons who have not yet carried out their obligations under the new law are advised by the electoral officers to take the necessary steps as soon as possible, as the main roil will bo closed at an early diil.i.

lyzo. Wellington North ...... 11,302 Wellington Central ... 9,867 Wellington Bast 11,792 Wellington South 10,867 Wellington Suburbs ... 12,779 Hutb 10,742 iaaz. 11,749 10,553 11,500 10,733 10,792 9,874

„, . 1925. 1922. Waitemata 12,486 11,184 2c!en 12,017 9,359 .Auckland East 11.108 11,409 Auckland Central ... B^9o] lo 343 Auckland . West ' 11.243 11,068 Grey Lynn 11,755 10,821 Roskill. 13,105' 31.797 Parncll 12.653 " 12,146 Mamikau 12.081 10.715

ZJhristchurch North ... 11,718 Christchurch East ... 10.323 Shristclmrch South ... 10.504 Riccartou 9.521 Avon 10,989 r^ytteltou 9,802 11,975 11,356 10,559 • 9,627 11,059 9,974

Dunedin North Dur.edin West Diihedin Central Dunedii) South Chalmers 10,658 10.572 10,783 10,689 7,537 10,922 10,830 11,124 10,420 7.630