THE MAYORAL ELECTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6491, 10 April 1908, Page 4

THE MAYORAL ELECTION

It is a well-known fact that persons who cannot comply with the strict letter of the law in the matter of qualioations are being freely enrolled to enable them to cast their vote at the approaching Mayoral election. The returning officer is perfectly aware that such is being done, and yet apparently no steps can be taken to prevent it. The " ineligible ” are those persons who come, or apparently think that they do come, within the residential qualification. The law in this connection provides that a person is, and must have for a period of three months previously, been in occupation as tenant or sub-tenant, or as one of several tenants holding in Joint tenancy or tenancy in common the whole or any portion of any house, warehouse, or other building in the district fib which the election relates. The difficulty comes in where the boarder is kept. Under the Act, unless a person is actually paying a sum not less than £lO per year as a tenant or sub-tenant, he or she is not entitled to vote. Yet there are hundreds of persons who are simply paying board and lodging who are being stuffed into the rolls. Tho procedure adopted in such oases is a simple one. The applicant for enrolment is informed by some of the persons registering names that though under the circumstances he is really not entitled to a vote, if he is questioned as to his status, all he has 'to say is that he is renting a room from his landlady, paying her a sum not less than £lO a year, and that things will then be all right. Those who do not have any scruples of conscience Jump at this chance of being enrolled, despite tbo fact that they are infringing the law by so doing There a.j-o others boarding who are paying from £2 to £3 a week, but. owing to their regard! for the truth, they 1 do not cor descend to such acts as that pointed out in order to gain the prerogative of casting a vote. The difficulty that the returning officer is in is that when 1 the lists arc forwarded to him ho has simnly to price tho names on tho roll, i There is no provision for an Cubans-: tire inquiry by him as to +he qualifies-; 'Hons of the applicants the same as those is for +he ro 1 V and consecuently a lot of ' might alter the position of a Mayoral election. Those who have recognised the anomaly of the nmotion pointed out contend that in all elections fori municipal renresenfatinn + hc Parlia-j mentory rail sbnnbl be used, and that then eyar-rKsdy wou 1 d oaf an equal chance, n-l fbern sr-mbl ref- V,f\ +be same nppor + un u ie-’ for unfair tactics as there are at present.