The Evening Star: THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1870.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 65, 24 March 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star: THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1870.

We r.rc all aware of the excitemt-ut attending contested political elections. For a time public feeling is awake, and it is a difficult thing to find any one indif ferent. Electors and non-elector alike

have their principles and their partizans, and political enthusiasm decidedly healthful, though sometimes leading to excess, carries away the whole community. To any one that has often witnessed election scenes, there must be the remembrance of this one feature constantly reproduced— ihe man who says, "I ought to have a vote, but unfortunately I did not register." The remark is invariably made with a consciousness of inferiority, and with an air of sheepi-.huess which show

that the regret expressed is sincere ; and the sense of neglected opportunity is in

UO wav l-Um.Ano-l !._-'*-- - -! deference with whicn, on election-day, the suggestions of the "man with a vote" are attended to, as compared with the counsel of the non-voter. And yet, with all these experiences, there are thousands in the colony who will suffer the next. seven da.s to pass away without per-

!brming the simple operation of registering their votes, and heartily regret the neglect when election times come round.

Be it borne in mind that until this day week, the 31st instant, any person quali Bed can register his vote ; that any person neglecting to register within this time will be unable, by any possibility, to ■ xereise a vote before the Ist of October, 1871; that during that time we shall have i general election for lite House of Hepre. -entatives in which every seat will probably be contested ; that we may be called mto pronounce on tho reconstruction of

representation, intercolonial tariffs, provincialism, native policy, perhaps even •olonial relations, and the question o. Inlependence. The man who neglects to qualify himself for the struggles that are coming is unworthy of the rights of citizenship. In order to leave every one of our readers without excuse, we mean to reduce the process of registration to the utmost simplicity. And first, who are qualified to register? Any man, not an alien or unpardoned felon,' being of twenty-one years or upwards, and who (1) for six months before registration has had a freehold in the district valued at £50, or who (2) has a leasehold in the district of the annual yalue of £10, with either three years to

run from the time of registration, or three years already run before time of registra tion; or who (3) is a householder in the district, residing at the time, aud for siy months previously, in a house of the annual value of ten pounds, if iv a town.

or of fire pounds, if in tho country. Vny person answering the description in either of the foregoing classes, on forwarding his claim to the Eegistration Officer of the district, on or before the 31st inst., will, if not objected to, be entitled to vote, on and after the Ist of October, 1870.

Next as to registration.—There is a form appended to the .Registration of

Electors Act, 1866, according to which the claim is to be made. As this farm is

to be had at every printing office in the

city, at tho expenditure of one penny, it is needless to reproduce it here. It is merely to be filled up, and signed in the presence of any elector of the district, or of the Registration Officer, or of any magistrate, who also signs as witness to

the claimant's signature. The lorm so filled up is posted to or left with the Registration Officer of the

district, and the operation is complete. It may be well to further add that iv the ease of claimants lor adaussiou to the electoral rolls of .Auckland .hast, Auckland West, Newton, Parnell, and .Northern Division, tbe claim is to be sent to Col. Balneavis, Returuiug -officer, Auckland, at his office in the old Court-house, Qaeenstreet. In the case of - intending electors of the divisions of Frankly n, Raglan,

Pensioner Settlements, Onehunga, and

the Thames, tho claims aro to be sent to J. J. Symouds, hsq., Betiirning Officer, Onehunga ; while for the electorates of-the Bay of Islands, Mongonui, aud VVangc.rci, claims are to be sent to the returning officers of these division. respectively. There is no fee or charge of any kind for registration, aud the citizen who by negligence disfranchises himself, richly merits that quiet contempt with which his seal at election times is so frequently accepted. Perhaps never in the history of Few Zealand has there been an election so fraught with destiny as the genera! election which is at hand.

Questions of momentous import are to be decided, bearing in their issues on the welfare of ourselves aud our children

for generations to come A few days

neglect will place a citizen out oi the "lists," and loive the various con flicts to be determined without ids aid ; and we envy not the feeling, of the man. who in the heat of the conflict will have to console himself with the reflection, " I ought to have a vote, but unfortunately I

teglected to register."