CLAIMS TO VOTE.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1385, 16 April 1867, Page 2

CLAIMS TO VOTE.

TO THB EDITOB OF THE "PBES3." Sib, —Knowing your columns are alwayi open for discussion on subjects pertaining tc the public welfare and general information, 1 ask you to allow mc space to remark on the fact of so few as thirty-seven out ot ninetyone names of persons who sent in forms fot the franchise being on the list of claiu.s to vote. On noticing a local in your paper, intimating that a list of names of those whoso claims to vote bad been acknowledged for the City of Christchurch was to be seen outside the Town Hall, I went to see if my name was included, but to my surprise it had been omitted from the list. Huving filled in claims to vote before, I was somewhat at a loss to know tho cause of my claim being rejected, for I had, as I thought, carefully filled in the form according to tho directions contained therein, guided by the explanations given in your leading article of March 11 ; and being anxious to know my future course in this matter, I waited on Mr Maude, the Returning Oflicer, this morning, and, be it said, he very kindly looked over the rejected forms, and, on producing mine, explained the error that I, with so many others, liad fallen into, viz., the omission of the signature at the end of the declaration, which jertainly is wanted, strictly speaking, to make :he declaration complete. But, sir, had the printed form shown a line or dot, or the word ligned, as shown in other parts of the same ibrm, it would have been a guide to the ininitiated in this matter. The following is a copy of the form, and I lave marked the place for general information ,vhere tho signature is required, and where the najority have erred in not signing, thus * ifter the word " columns " at the end of the leclaration :— To the Registration Officer of the Electoral District Christian Name and Surname of I Place of the Claimant at full length. | Abode. Nuturo of Place whore Property Situate, Qualification, and Name or Description of same. I [name of Claimant in full] do hereby give ou notice that I claim to have my name inerted in the List of Voters for the Electoral )istrict of [name of Electoral District], and I [eclare that my name, place of residence, and he nature and description of my qualification re stated truly in tho above columns.* ' ligned and declared \ >y the Claimant I ids of in the | ear before mc,/ Signed) An Elector of the District, [Or Eegistration Officer, or J.P.] It is to be hoped thnt all those who may ye been objected to will bo in attendance _. the sitting to hear the objections, which I believe will take place in about six wrc'o, uud that the claims may be allowed, as the printed form was not sufficiently explicit in that particular. I remain, sir, yours &c, P. J. Peabson. Chriatchureh, April 15, 1867.

TO TIIS EDITOB OP THB PKE3S. Sib, —I am ono of those whose claims to vote have been disallowed. The ground on which my claim has been rejected has been stated to mc by tho Returning Officer to have been that the iitteatation had not been formally signed. Now, sir, I should wish to ask you if, when " I declare that I, Thomas Stokes, do he; eby give, &c," and when my name as

the attestator is formally wit nC ßiwviT T"** holder, an elector of tho clis.ric! h °°«" eau ho no doubt that I am tho Tl, tl,or o mentioned in the attestation I rtl,o u 'n * S . to,, M ask you why my natno is struck out. ? W ' Bh ,0 I am, sir,