WARNING TO ELECTORS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 236, 5 October 1935, Page 8

WARNING TO ELECTORS.

A warning to large numbers of people that, unless they take immediate steps to ascertain whether their names are on the electoral rolls, they will be deprived of the vote at the general election, is contained in the complaints made in the House of Representatives last night. Several members declared that the recent purging of the rolls had removed thousands of names in some electorates, and this was not denied by the Minister. From inquiries made to-day in Auckland we are able to state that the complaints were well grounded. In the main city electorates as many as 3000 or more names have been struck off in recent months, and taking a group of nine electorates around Auckland the number of people affected must represent nearly a tenth of the population and perhaps at least 15 per cent of those eligible to vote. At this late date, with the election less than two months ahead, this is a serious state of affairs. Everyone who is in any doubt should examine the rolls without further delay. This duty has been made easy by the distribution of rolls to all post offices and public libraries and to many shops in the city and suburbs. There is no excuse for indifference, and it is necessary to realise that the methods adopted by those responsible for the compiling of the lists have been more drastic than ever before. To assume that one’s name is included is to court an unpleasant shock on polling day. Various organisations are busily engaged in street canvasses, but their efforts alone will not suffice. Houses will be missed, and where there are several votes in the one household some will be overlooked. If it be asked why the registrars of electors have resorted to the use of such an effective purgative, the reason seems clear. Over the past four years there has been an exceptional movement of population. People have changed their addresses within electorates, and many have moved across electoral boundaries. A mere change of address is enough to lead to the removal of a name from the list. Hence it is probable that many, perhaps some thousands, of the total voters affected by the purging in Auckland, should retain the right to vote in the same electorates as four years ago. But if they have assumed that a move from one street to another, or even to another number in the same street, is not a sufficient reason for looking into their electoral positions, they are in danger of being disillusioned. Even I registered letters and all the efforts of the [ postal authorities have not sufficed to locate I -many of those who have changed their | addresses since the 1931 election, and theirl names appear on none of the Parliamentary ; rolls. i