SOLDIERS' VOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 72, 25 March 1919, Page 6

SOLDIERS' VOTES.

I 1 NO IJEGAI WAY OUT. HOW MANY MEN AFFECTED? A MINISTERIAL INQUIRY, The Mayor (Mr. .7. H. Gunson) to-day received the following telegram from the Acting-Prime Minister, in reply to his communication on the subject yesterday t — ''Tho Government have nlways been anxious to do their best to provide for every soldier in the Expeditionary Forces and also for discharged members of the forces who have the opportunity to vote. The men discharged had ample opportunity to place their names on the roll. If they have neglected to do so, it is no fault of the Government. I had a (inference with the Attorney - General and the Solicitor-General this morning, an<J as a result they advised that no regulation could legally be made conferring the right to vote upon persons whose names do not appear on the electoral roll, unless those persons are members of the X.Z.E.F., and that men who have been discharged have ceased to be members of the Expeditionary Forces, and that any attempt by regulation to include them in the roll of the Expeditionary For.-es for the purposes of the poll to lie taken on April 10 would be illegal. I regret this difficulty, hut will he glad if you would inform mc, if you have any definite information, as to the number of men affected in the Auckland district." POWERLESS TO ACT. Sir Francis Bell. Attorney General, in a telegram to Mr. Garland, says: — "The members of the Government are at least as anxious as any other person that every man nnd woman should have the right to exercise a vote at the poll. ' But the Government lias no more power!' to provide for the special cases you referj to than for the case of any other elector i who is not on the roll, and is not now a> i member of the Expeditionary Force. It would he illegal to attempt to so pro-