THE REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6150, 3 August 1881, Page 5

THE REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS.

It appears that there are other Acts cumbering the Statute Book, equally as unworkable as the Employment of Females Act and the Adulteration.,of. Food, Act, ; . The. Sharebrokers' Act, it was shown at the late meeting of the' City Council, was one of these. It-is now stated s that the "Registration of Electors'. Act is in the same delightful category." Iα large districts, the Act is simply unworkable, as it is impossible for the Registrar to have any real or effeetive: check upon the accuracy of the rolls. If a dummy gets placed ou the roll, lie cannot be struck off, as the Act provides, in the first instance, that he mnat.be served with a summons, at his place of abode, as set out in the roll. - : Aa the dummy never had a place of residence,, service is impossible, and lie consequently remains on to the Greek Kalends. This state of things opens up a delightful prospect for smart electioneering agents; According to the Act, section 31 provides that in. giving notice of intention to strike an elector off the roll, a circular sent to the address as a registered letter should.be sufficient •service, and the same provision should also apply to the summons. The Registrar is alsD.liable, on • technical grounds, to have costs awarded against him personally by the magistrate, at his discretion, this being a facetious ' method adopted by the Government of stimulating that officer in the performance of his duty. When all the olaims arc in under the Act in Auckland city, suburbs, Eden, and Onehunga, there will; be about 9000 electors on tho rolls, the changes throughout. which districts will average about fifty per month. It is possible that rival political parties might keep the rolls pure by their partizans scouting on either side, but it is quite clear that the Registrar cannot trace all the changes of residence and qualifications of electors, with anything., like accuracy, where such large districts are to. be ■ dealt with, as those comprised in the list mentioned above. The Thames Advertiser has : the following, paragraph on • the same /subject f — "The Registrar of Electors has commenced to issue notices, under section IS of the Registration of Electors Act, 1879, to those persons who have left the district, with the view of purging the roll. If the persons objected to, dp not within fifteen days after the service of such notice, cause their names to be removed from the roll, they will be summoned to the Resident Magistrate's Court to prove their right to be retained on the roll, and if they do not appear, their names will be erased therefrom." Those competent to judge, however,, state, as already mentioned, that it will not be so easy a task to strike persons off the roll, the clauses bearing on the service of notice and service of summons conflicting.