WARNING FOR VOTERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1704, 22 March 1913, Page 6

WARNING FOR VOTERS.

IMPERFECT ROLLS CIRCULATED.

RISKS OF DISFRANCHISEMENT.

'As is fairly generally known, tho preparation of tlio Municipal Roll for the forthcoming'election is being very grievously retarded owing to tho main roll not being printed. The supplementary Toll ; closes on April .1,. and electors have no aieaifs of knowing whether they aro already enrolled or not. The delay nbout/' ithe printing of tho main roll is explained 'as being due to tho flro which occurred Womo time ago in'tho promises of Messrs. J.Whitcombe and Tombs, 'tho' corporation ' contractors for printing, and they - have represented to tlio/council that their 'machinery was destroyed, and that; they have had difficulty about getting,tho use of othor linotypo machines in tho city.' \

:: Some days 'ago the Mayor authorised tho corporation staff to placo old rolls for inspection in, various places In tlio city. ,;It is urged' on behalf- of this action that theso entirely imperfect and misleading 'lists would help electors to'learn whether 'they would be enrolled in, the now list or not! In actual fact, the exhibition of theso lists, which contain-several thou-, eand names which aro struck off the truo roll, has been found to bo misleading and ■confusing." '• Some strong; representations ;to this ofTccfc' liavo been .mado to tho ;'Mayor,.'and'havo led.to its-being decided ' ito them. - ( ' - The order for the withdrawal' of the it misleading rolls—or some of them—from ' tho places in which-they : wero exhibited . .■was given on Thursday. It was pointed out to, tho Mayor and the I city officials . that since, theso'rolls were' not genuiiie ones,ut'would have been better .if tfefcjr i had not been sent out. The, only copy of the truo, main roll is a manuscript ono | in. tho Town' Hall building, and w-o havo ;b&en informed ,that 'on it was not very easy for inquirers to get at it. ■; ' It is not anticipated-that th® adherentsof the Labour pa,rty,'which is running Mr. - M'Laren,for Mayor, arid' a solid ticket for'the'council,, has suffered, any disad-; vantage 'through ■ tho' circulation of the misleading roll, 1 as'.the Labour party are - enrolling all their supiporters,'"or possible . supporters, in any caSc. A 'good many other \peoplc, however, who, will havo seen their -names on tho misleading rolls,-may find, themselves disfranchised. The only safe/ ','courso. is for every citizen to make sure, •by inspecting':the genuine roll, that his ; name is there. ; .■ •

. There is-some ..adverse "comment /vpon-, the action of the" authorities in circulating'; ,the imperfect rolls. ,It ivould have beenfar ; Letter, it "nas been contended, if tho Mayor (had caused it' to b© notified' that the only l ' ; genuine roll is that ono which lies in the; ' City Council. . ■ .' • • -