ENROLMENT FOR ELECTION

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28399, 4 October 1957, Page 3

ENROLMENT FOR ELECTION

Minister’s Warning To Maoris

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 3. "Unless they take action soon, some 5000 Maoris who voted in the last election will lose their right to vote next time.” said the Minister of Justice (Mr J. R. Marshall) today. The latest returns, he said, showed that Maori enrolment for the coming elecion was lagging. "For the first time in our history, the distinction between the Maori and pakeha under the electoral laws has been abolished, on the assumption that the Maoris should be equal with pakehas in their, voting responsibilities," said Mr Marshall. “The Electoral Office sent out 41.000 enrolment cards personally addressed to Maoris, but only 31.000 have been returned. 10.000 have failed to reply, and a further 5000 who voted by declaration at the last election have still to enrol. It is these 5000 declaration voters who are jeopardising their franchise. “Under old laws, a Maori voter was allowed to vote by declaration in his district, even though he was not on an electoral roll. But now the Maori is to vote under the same conditions as the pakeha, and he cannot vote by declaration unless his name is on a roll. “Every possible effort of publicity has been made to inform the Maori of this position. It is significant that pakeha enrolment is about 95 per cent, complete, as a result of the same information campaign.” Mr Marshall said that any Maoris holding enrolment forms received through the mail should return them to the Chief Electoral Office. For the others, enrolment facilities were available at any post office.