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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9544, 2 December 1893, Page 2

TBE HAWKES BAY KOLL. Mb Fitzßoy, ia defending Sergeant) Mitchell, is hardly juit to Mr Co'enso. That gentleman did all that tv.'u'd be expected that he or any o-ie under the circumstances should do. On the 4th of October he inspeoted the rolls for Uawke's Bay, Walpawa, aud Napier, to see if his name appeared on more than one of them. This was in ousequence of the new Act providing that an elector must take steps to see thati bis name was not on more than oae roll, under a penalty. In accordance with the terms of the Act Mr Colenso on the date named wrote to Sergeant Mitchell, stating that his (Mr Colenso'f) name was on the ftawke'a Bay and the Napier rolls, and that he desired it to be retained on the Hiiwke'a. Bay roll. Sergeant Mitchell received that letter, noted its contents, aud after endorsing it forwarded it to' Sergeant Cullen, as the hitter's authority for striking Mr Colenso's name off the Napier roll. Mr Colenso simply did all that be could ts ensure his name being retained on the Hawke's Bay roll. Further, it should be noted that Mr Colenso's name was on that roll on the 4th of October fornproperty qualification occn pylng two lines, and that it c mid uot have been omitted by the printer of the final roll unless scored through ia the office of the Registrar for Uawka's Bay. It is quite beside the mark to say that) Mr Colenso i might have done this or that. The fact is that he took considerable pains in the matter, and to blame him tor the neglect of the compiler of the roll is not just. As for the contention that the Registrar has no control over snob mistakes, if that be so what is the use of having registrars at et'lf Sergeant Mitchell was provided with a paid assistant, the same as other registrars were, and in addition had the services of the constables in bis district for the verlficitiou of claims sent) in. The fact that there were some 5200 names on a roll for a (list riot the population of which ii below 9000, althongn in spite o! that the names of many bonafiie electuis were struck off, constitutes all the prcof needed that the Uawku's Biy roll was entirely nnworthy of the name. As for the other three cases mentioned, possibly Mr Warren will yet have something to say on tbat matter.