Record Number On Rolls

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32142, 11 November 1969, Page 1

Record Number On Rolls

(New Zealand Prefa-Association! WELLINGTON, November 10. A record increase of 103,000 in electoral rolls has been recorded for the General Election later this month.

Roll totals released today < by the chief electoral officer 1 (Mr J. L. Wright) showed j that 1,503,092 New Zealand- , ers had enrolled to vote in the 84 electorates. ] In 1966 1,399,720 enrolled— ] an increase of 103.372 eligible i voters. The next highest in- ( crease between elections in | recent years was 81,000 be, j tween 1943 and 1946. But the Maori rolls for the ( four electorates show a de- | crease of more than 1000. In ■ 1966, Maori enrolments < totalled 52,597. This year j they are 51,58 fr-a drop of i 1011. ( The drop, after an increase i

of 3400 between 1963 and 1906, indicates that more halfcaste Maoris are exercising their right to enrol in European electorates. People of more than halfMaori blood are required by law to enrol in Maori electorates, but those of 50 per cent Maori-European blood may choose to be on the European roll. Mr Wright said there was no way of explaining the big increase In over-all enrolments, or the effect of the enrolment of 20-year-olds. It is estimated that more than 40,000 20-year-olds became eligible for enrolment when the voting age was towered from 21 this year. Comparative increases in 1 rolls in the two previous Gen- 1 eral Elections were: Between 1 1960 and 1963. 27,686; and between 1963 and 1966. 67,349. I Most of the electorates at stake in this month’s General - Election have been altered, 1 and four new electorates have 1 been created. Seven elector- : ates have enrolments of more 1 than 20,000 and the new Birk- ' enhead electorate is the highest at 20,842. The smallest electorates, on ’ the number of voters, are the > four Maori electorates. These • are all below 14,500, com-: pared with the smallest Euro- ' pean seat of Piako, with i 15,724 voters. ;

TROTTING PRESENTA-TIONS^-The awards for the “Horse of the Year” and the “Brood Mare of the Year” were made at the Winter Garden last evening by the president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference (Mr R. J. Rolfe, of Thames). From left are Mr G. W. Blaxall (president of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club). Mr R. A. McKenzie, of Wellington, the owner of Gareon Roux, the winner of the “Horse of the Year” award, Mr D. Todd, of Mataura, owner of Colwyn Bay, winner of the “Brood Mare of the Year” award, and Mr Rolfe.