A BUSY OFFICIAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 25 October 1928, Page 4

A BUSY OFFICIAL

PREPARING FOR ELECTIONS DUTIES OF RETURNING OFFICER One of the busiest men in Nelson at present is Mr F. Mitchell, the Returning Officer for the Nelson electorate. His duties accompanying the usual triennial contest are many and varied, and. at the same time highly important, as a mistake on his part or that of his several deputies might have far-reaching results. For some weeks past the work of compiling the rolls preparatory to printing has been in hand; while at the same time arrangements had to be made for polling booths -at various centres and also lor deputy returning officers and" poll clerk. In all there will be 60 booths at 46 polling places. There will be at least two officials in every booth. This year the deputy-returning officers will be practically half the number of that at the last election. At previous contests separate deputy-returning officers were appointed to take the electoral poll and also the licensing poll: this year a change has been made in that each booth will have only one deputy returning officer who will be responsible for both returns.

Some idea of the preparatory work u.voived can be gleaned from the fact that 16,000 voting papers have to be provided for each issue; also 2000 absent voters' papers, and 1000 no-license papers. All these have to be allotted to various polling centres so that a plentiful! supply will be available.

STATIONERY SUPPLIES An idea of the large amount of polling booth supplies which has to be sent to each deputy returning officer is seen from the fact that 32 different forms are necessary, as well as quantities of stationery/ etc., including inking-pad, brown paper, sealing wax, twine, pen? cils, gummed stickers, telegram forms, felt pad and foolscap paper. For the licensing poll additional forms to tho number of about a dozen are required. Each deputy has also to be sent official notice ot his appointment, a book of instructions, and a form of declaration which he has to complete and return. There will be five different kinds of voting papers at every booth. In the Sounds portion of the electorate a launch will be chartered to take the ballot boxes and supplies to the various polling places. Postal and seamen's votes are already being recorded.* These of"course will not be opened until election day in the presence of scrutineers'.

POSTAL VOTER Provision has been made for electors who will not, throughout the hours of polling be within five miles of the near? est practicable route of any polling place, for those who by reason of illness or infirmity will be precluded from attending at any polling place, for lighthouse keepers or their wives, or those who will be absent from New Zealand, to obtain, on application 1 being made to the returning officer, postal voting ballot papers. Under this provision no one will be disfranchised. This will be the first election at which votes have been recorded through post.

It is not now necessary for voters away from the electorate to apply for an absent voter's permit. All they have to do is to apply on polling day to the deputy returning officer in charge of any polling booth for permission to vote for the electorate to which he or ,lon.gs. ■*-<;"- - - -.•■■ ■■■-■'

APPOINTMENT OF ASSISTANTS "A quite common remark made to returning officers" said Mr Mitchell to a "Mail" representative to-day, "is why men who are not out of work should be appointed deputies and clerks on the day of the poll." The job, added Mr Mitchell, required both experience and ability, especially in view of the varied jobs to be done and the fact that through" a mistake the p_oll might be upset. Consequently the returning officer had to get the best men available irrespective of whether he was in work or out of work.

ALTERATION OF BOUNDARIES Since the last election the electoral boundaries of Motueka and Nelson have been somewhat altered. Waimea West, Appleby (west side, of the river), Redwood's Valley, Mahana, Mapua, and Tasman have been cut out and added to Motueka; while Rai Valley, Tunakina Valley, Opouri Valley, Rai Falls, Tinine, * Canvastown, Carluke, and Deep Creek, formerly in the Wairau electorrate, have been added to Nelson.

NUMBER ON ROLLS The total number of names on the Nelson main and supplementary rolls is 10,684, compared with 9,945 in 1925. On the Motueka main and supplementary rolls there are 9407 names, compared with 7,321 at the last general election.

The election dav is on Wednesday. 14th November. * J>