MAORI ELECTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 22195, 25 November 1935, Page 6

MAORI ELECTIONS

POLLS TAKEN TO-MORROW PROCEDURE AT THE BOOTHS The Maori electors’ of the Dominion will to-morrow vote for four members to represent them in Parliament. Many years ago, a separate polling day for the Maori population was fixed to prevent confusion. The whole of the South Island is known as the Southern Maori electorate, and has one member. The North Island is divided into the Northern, Eastern, and Western Maori districts, the last including the Chatham Islands, and each elects a member. Although no roll is prepared, it is expected that about 74,000 Maoris, including halfcastes will record their votes. Four candidates have offered their services for tlie Southern Maori. They are: Messrs K. T. Tirikatene (Ratana Party, who is the sitting member), T. W. Love (Government), T. Makitanara (Democrat), and T. K. Bragg (Independent).

In .several ways the procedure at Maori elections differs from that at European elections. The chief of these is that there is no electoral roll, and that voting is oral. When going to record his vote the Maori elector states his full name, tribe, hapu, and place of residence to the deputy-returning officer. He is then asked to state the name of the candidate for whom he wishes to vote, and this is written hy the deputy-returning officer on the voting paper. The qualifications of an elector may be tested by questioning. The form of the questions—five in all—is prescribedby the Electoral Act, 1927. They enable the deputy-returning officer to satisfy himself that the person wishing to vote is a bona fide resident of the district, is of age to vote, has not previously voted at the election in his own or any other name, is not registered on any European roll, and is not disqualified from voting for any reason. Only one Maori elector at a time is allowed in a polling booth, and other persons, apart from officials, are excluded. At various times the younger Maoris have protested against the special procedure precrihed for Maori elections. They claim that the oral method of voting, in particular, is a slight on the intelligence and progress of the Maori

race, and that their people have reached a stage where there should he no difference in procedure between European and Maori elections.