ELECTORAL ROLLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 239, 9 October 1935, Page 12

ELECTORAL ROLLS.

CLEANSING PROCESS. WORK BY DEPARTMENT. ACTIVITIES EXPLAINED. (Isy Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. A statement on the working of the compulsory registration provisions of the Electoral Act and the clemming of the rolls for the forthcoming general election was made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Foihes, in the House of Representatives last night. Under the A>t, he said, registration as an elector and notification of change of address were compulsory, and penalties could be imposed for failure to observe these provisions. Since the introduction of compulsory registration in 1024 there had be;n numerous prosecutions up to 1031, although none had been instituted since then. People were prosecuted only when it could be shown that they were deliberately failing in their duty to comply with the law. "It was stated in the House recently," Mr. Forbes continued, "that the compulsory provisions of the Electoral Act were a dead letter. To show that there is no justilieati'v.i for this statement the following figures for the Dominion are suppliedXew applications for registration since November, 1031. and up to August, 1035, totalled 57,51>7; transfers from rolls, removals by death, etc., 01,204; changes of address within the varioi.c- electoral districts, 41..112 Piocedure Explained. "In the cleansing of the rolls the Electoral Department has followed the procedure adopted in 1028 and 1031. On those occasions it was generally recognised that the electoral rolls were representative of the persons entitled to vote. Electors were asked to verify their addresses and notify a change in address if any had occurred. In many instances notices were returned by electors, but in the case of those to whom the Post Oflice could not deliver the notice, another notice was sent by registered post. If that was returned undelivered the registrars took steps to remove the names from the rolls."

Mr. Forbes quoted the following figures as indicative of the activities of tho Department: —Number of inquiry notices posted, 753,490; inquiries unclaimed, 155,438; inquiries acknowledged by electors, 375,20(5; new applications from December, 1031, to July, 1035, 180,277; number of electors on general rolls (70 electorates), 730,307; new registrations on supplementary rolls, 03,031; removals by transfer and death, 10,842; changes of address within the various electoral districts, 0021; total number of electors on rolls up to September 30, 815,580. Later reports indicated that enrolling was proceeding satisfactorily.