CLAIMS FOR ENROLMENT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14160, 28 September 1911, Page 9

CLAIMS FOR ENROLMENT.

A SOUTHLAND MiAN'S JOKE.

(special to "the press.") INVERCARJGILL, September 27. The local experience has been that people show a. good deal of ignorance or indifference in tho filling up of claims for enrolment, thereby causing registrars in different electorates unnecessary trouble, and delaying claimants' enrolment until necessary enquiries aro made. At the Magistrate's Court today the Registrar of Electors for Invercargill proceeded against a retired seafaring man who had mado his claim for enrolment tho subject of a joke, thus making a misleading declaration which cost him 30s and a lecture from the Bench.

Tho Crown Solicitor said that ho vras instructed not to press for a ioavy fine. Defendant had' admitted his wrong-doing, and apologised to iho Registrar, but just about this time some two or three thousand claims for enrolment were being received by that official, and to be bothered with such claims as defendant had filed was, nfc least, annoying. The defendant's claim stated that the last electoral district he had resided in was "Heaven"; his address on that roll ■was the "Bluff Press"; and his present address "tho six-fathom mark." The case had been brought as a warning to others that their claims must be properly filled in and declared before authorised persons. The Magistrate laid that as a- fine it as not asked for, defendant would bo convicted and ordered to pay costs 9s and solicitor's fee £1 Is. If any further oases of the kind came before him he would deal severely with them, as it was of the utmost importance to tho country that the electoral rolls should be correctly compiled