THE LICENSING ELECTIONS AND THE ELECTORAL ROLL

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9492, 23 April 1894, Page 4

THE LICENSING ELECTIONS AND THE ELECTORAL ROLL

The question of whether, by a clause in the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act, the registrars are compelled to'strike oft the names of all who have not voted at the poll under that Act, ia being discussed now at Wellington. The registrar in that district, interpreting the Act for himself, as he has a right to do, is striking off the names of persons who did not vote at the licensing eleotions, as well as those who did not vote at the Parliamentary election. On first looking at the clause in the Alcoholic Liquors Act we thought that the Parliament meant that there should be a striking off of all who did not vote at the polling under that Act, but further consideration showed that there was room for argument on both sides. The first object of the Legislature in enacting that all the names for which no vote had been recorded at a Parliamentary election should be struck off, was that the roll by this means should be purified. When the constituencies are so numerous it is impossible for the registrar to take off all the names of persons who have died or who have removed from the district, or all the names which have for many years past been put on for improper purposes and which do not represent anybody at all. It has been the practice at every election to put on " bogus" names, and these of course accumulate on the roll. It was felt that there must be something like a wiping of the slate at some time or other, and it was decided that after every general election all names on which no vote had been recorded should be struck off, leaving all persons who had abstained from voting to place themselves again on the roll by a fresh application. The penalty for not recording a vote was a very small one, and no complaint could be made respecting it, especially considering how , great an object was achieved by the provision. But it is unlikely that the Legislature intended to impose the same penalty on all who did not choose to record their opinions on the subject of who should be Licensing Commissioners, or on how many licenses should be issued in any district. No doubt Parliament will clear up the subject when it meets, but in the meantime serious embarrassment may arise, owing to some registrar striking off those who did not vote at the licensing election, while others do not do so.