THE LOCAL OPTION POLL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12986, 29 November 1902, Page 6

THE LOCAL OPTION POLL.

One of our correspondents, who has haA an opportunity, as a scrutineer, of studying the methods of counting the voting papers in ,the local option poll, and of recording the results, makes a very sensible suggestion this morning. He complains, justly, that the figures telegraphed to us from all parts of the colony are of little value, because they are incomplete, and he shows how simply a complete return can be compiled for each booth. The need ier the adoption of some such method is obvious. We are surprised to learn that the authorities have not already an efficient scheme in operation. Some retuming-oiS-cers have been careful to make their returns complete, and have communicated them in complete form to the Press; but in the great majority of instances the officials can hardly have realised the im-. portance of the fourth set of figures, the number of valid votes, without which the figures for continuance, reduction and no* license are practically useless. • Presumably, they have subsequently ascertained the number of voters for official purposes, but there is no reason, as our correspondent points out, why the complete return* should not be available to the public on the night of the election. The number o* voters, of course, supplies the key to th# whole position. We trust that, in thus, respect at least,.the authorities will

form their methods before the taking of the next poll.