PECULIAR ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11231, 28 November 1899, Page 3

PECULIAR ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— arrangement I had agreed to meet Mrs. Greaves, of 420, Queen-street, at tho electoral office. She had previously called at the office to inquire if her application was deemed satisfactory, and had been told to call again in a week. I happened to arrive a few minutes late, so Mrs. Greaves interviewed the registrar alone, and was told by the registrar that he would write a now application. In the meantimo the application was found by one of the clerks. Ho then said he would cancel that and fill up the second. This application Mrs. Greaves was not asked to siin, the registrar informing her that her vote would be secure. On her coming out, and being informed of this, I advised her to go back and ask if her original application was cancelled, would it not be necessary for her to sign tho second. This she did, tolling the registrar that a gentleman friend of hers thought it would not be legal otherwise. The registrar's reply to that was, "tell tho gentleman if it satisfies me that would make it legal." While Mrs. Greaves was in the office on the first occasion mentioned she also noticed a lady give in a number of names of persons, without handnig in any formal applications. This lady was a publican's wife. Knowing this, I invited Air. .1. E. Taylor, of Mangere, to wait till she returned, which lie did. he happening to pass at the time. Finding on Mrs. Greaves' return that the registrar maintained his ruling as to the non-necessity of signatures, so long as he was satisfied, we all three returned, Mr. Taylor acting as spokesman. The registrar was again asked if a signed application was not absolutely necessary, to which he replied it was not, so long as he was satisfied. Mr. Taylor then demanded by what authority he so acted. The registrar then asked for a book, which was handed to him, out of which he read some instructions. On Mr. Taylor asking him to read it carefully over again, the registrar abruptly shut the book up, saying that he did hot recognise that Mr. Taylor had any right to see it, and that he had only road it out of courtesy. Mr. Taylor then remonstrated against such abrupt conduct on the part of a public officer, and asked how it was that a number of names of citizens he had handed in did not appear on the roll, when the registrar quite jubilantly replied, " I havo struck quite a number out." When asked for what reason he refused to say, inviting Mr. Taylor to write him officially. I then called the attention of the registrar to what looked like an irregularity on his part in taking the names of a numebr of people verbally from the person before mentioned. This ho admitted ho had done, and again saying if lie was satisfied they had a right to be on, lie would put them on. To which I replied lie seemed to bo " King" over the electoral arrangements in Auckland, and could, if so minded, keep off whoever he liked, and they would have no redress. He then invited mo to write him officially, if I wanted to discuss the question with him. The three of us then left, with not a very exalted opinion of our present electoral arrangements, which, as now carried out, put far too many opportunities in tho hand of the registrar to do wrong if lie were so disposed, than is 'for the public good. If Mr. King was so inclined, he could, under present conditions, query every political opponent so far as he knew them on the roll, and if they failed to reply throw the whole onus on the voter for not answering letters which there never was any necessity to send, while on the other hand names by the thousand, with applications, "verbal" or otherwise, could bo placed on without any difficulty. I say that a system such as this is, is capable of being ' manipulated to any extent, and to talk of . majority rule of the people by the people is j a hollow sham. The sooner we have self- ! registration, and electoral rights the better it will be for the respeotable, law-abiding

citizens of New Zealand. Whatever some people might find to plume themselves upon as.'to' New Zealand being tho hub of the universe in politics, in the matter of the compilation of a pure roll they arc away in tho dark ages.. Why is this? Has electioneering been reduced to a fine art in New Zealand? It certainly looks; like it.—l am, etc., ' William Richardson-. 420, Queen-street.