ROLL FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 159, 1 April 1938, Page 10

ROLL FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Qualifications Outlined SUPPLEMENTARY LIST • CLOSES SHORTLY With the rapid approach of the date of the municipal and local body elections there has been an acceleration iu the rate of enrolment of electors. In Wellington the Labour Party iu particular is conducting a systematic house-to-house canvass and the same is being done by the various committees sponsoring candidates. Apart from the usual fairly widespread apathy on the part of electors there is a great deal of doubt among some sections as to the qualifications necessary to entitle a person to exercise a vote. There are 65,818 names on the main district electors’ roll for the city of Wellington, which is now closed, rhe supplementary roll is still open, however, and will close on April 13. iho supplementary list for the last election contained 13,492 names, as it was an exceptionally big one. The usual figure is between 5000 and 6000, but it is difficult to say just what number this year’s roll will contain, as that depends on the extent of the interest taken in enrolling between now and the closing date. The city electoral office stated yesterday that no applications for inclusion on the supplementary roll will be received after 5 p.m. on the closing date, April 13. Four Possible Qualifications.

Where a person has a rating qualification and another qualification his name is entered on the roll in respect of his rating qualification only. There are four possible qualifications—freehold, rating, residential and occupier’s. The freehold qualification applies by virtue of a person being the owner of a freehold estate, the value of which is not less than £25, in the city of Wellington. In the case of the rating qualification there is an impression that where the husband owns tile home and pays the rates he alone is entitled to vote under that qualification. The wife of a ratepayer is entitled to be enrolled in that case and the same applies to the husband where the property is registered in the name of the wife. That there is a residential qualification which will enable a person to vote is not as widely appreciated as it might be. The elector in that case must have resided in New Zealand for one year and in the city of Wellington for the past three months and be a British subject by birth or by naturalisation in New Zealand. One point which is frequently misunderstood in this connection is that a person whether married or single Is entitled to qualify under it on the grounds given. Au occupier's qualification is possessed by a person who for not less than the last three months has been in occupation of premises iu the city, as a tenant or sub-tenant, at a rental of not less than £lO a year. It is not appreciated by many that this qualification applies in the case of a person who occupies a shop or office in the city even though he may reside outside the city. Completely Separate Roll. The district electors’ roll is in no way connected with the roll for Parliamentary elections. That this is so is not appreciated by many eligible electors who on election day expect to be able to vote by virtue of the fact that their names are on the Parliamentary roll and who have omitted to have them placed on the roll for the municipal elections. Important differences are that a person may qualify for the district electors’ list either in his or her own right, or in the right of his or her wife or husband. One qualification common to both rolls is that all claimants for enrolment must be 21 years of age or over.