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Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 June 1928, Page 9

With the retirement of Mr. J. Hislop from the dual position of undersecretary of the Department of Internal Affairs and Chief electoral officer it lias been decided to separate the offices. The appointment of Mr. G. P. Newton as under-secretary has already been announced and the Public Service commissioner adA’ises that Mr. G. G. Hodgkins, who for some years has bold the position of deputy-chief electoral officer, will become chief electoral officer as from Sunday next. Mr. Hodgkins has held A-arious posts in the department since 1902, and in 191(> the Government sent him to Tasmania to investigate there the working of proportional representation and the operation in the Commonwealth of the compulsory registration of electors. The New Zealand system of compulsory re gistration is the result of his recommendation, as is the system of postal voting to apply this year. The Xe av Zealand Engine Drivers, Firemen and Cleaners’ Association recently held a ballot on tA\"o questions: Avliother the president should be elected by the members or by the grand council, and AA'hetlier there should be a Dominion executiA'e or a local Wellington executiA'e. The result of the A'oting aaus as folloAvs: In faA-our of a Dominion executive, 1122; in favour of a local executiA’e, 444; in faA’-our of the election of the president by -all financial members, 1185; in faA'our of the president- being elected by and from the grand council, 377. On the occasion of the _ R-oyal Colonial Institute’s diamond . jubilee, which ivill be celebrated in Lndon today. the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, has dispatched the following message.—“ New Zealand extends its hearty congratulations on the celebration of * the institute’s jubilee. It keenly appreciates the influence of the institute in promoting the close association of the peoples of the Empire and most cordially wishes it continued success.” The Hawke’s Bay A. and P. Society yesterday resolved to circularise all similar societies- in the Dominion with a request of support for the following resolution for presentation to the Prime Minister: That the joint recommendations unanimously adopted by the representatives of both the primary and secondary industries at the recent industrial conference he given effect to, and that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act be amended accordingly; that each society join in urging the Prime Minister to give the force of law to the recommendations.