Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8065, 5 October 1887, Page 4

Complaints, both before and sinco the elections, about the state of the rolls have been very numerous, and not without good cause. It is not only that many names were found on them which either should not have been placed on them at nil or ought to have been removed, but also that many which were regularly handed in for registration did not appear oil the record. To some extent thesis defects may be accounted for by the changes effected in the electoral boundaries consequent upon a redistribution of Parliameatary seats, and by the confusion caused through the rush of applicants as the period for registration approached its close. The transference of names from one roll to another rendered necessary by the alteration of the old limits may have been overlooked, and the difficulty of ascertaining whether persons entered as residing in certain districts had changed their abode, or parted with the property on which their qualification was based, may account for the presence 011 the rolls of claims to vote which had really ceased to

exist. Allowance may, therefore, l>B made for any imperfections arising from these or similar causes ; though it will still remain a puzzle how it came to pass that so many names not entitled to remain on the rolls were retained, while so many of those which ought to have been retained were expunged. It ig difficult, however** to find any excuse for the omission from the rolls of names whose owners had called expressly to draw attention to the omission, or, notwithstanding this precaution, for their non-. appearance on the supplem«utal rolls subsequently published. Arid yet these cases were exceedingly numerous. Such a fact shews a lack either of organisation or capacity, or the existence of culpable carelessness if not of dishonesty. But, account for it in what manner we may, it ii clear that the whole system of registration, as welTas of correcting and making up of the rolls, demands urgently a radical change. One very simple and effective improvement would be that of requiring every person having a claim to vote to appear in person to have his name registered. Upon its admission, he should receive a ticket certifying the fact, and the registration officials should then be held responsible for the name appearing on the roll. If, after that, his name should happen to be omitted, his ticket should be accepted a3 entitling him to vote.