DISFRANCHISED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6622, 11 September 1908, Page 4

DISFRANCHISED

LITTLE BARBIE® ISLANDERS, * PBESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND* September 10. There are at least eight eligible olfcclu ora in New Zealand Who al'o virtually, disfranchised. They reside on Littk Barrier Island, and have written to thtf Registrar-General' of Electors at Devon! port to know before Carolling whether they' will be allowed to vote by pest, otherwise they state there is no chancy of them being able to vote at all. The Iltzroy poet office wtndd be their near* est polling booth, and it is fourteen miles across the water, aiid even if they could get across by means of a boat ai£ that tvete entitled to Vote could not geli away. Little Barrier Island is owned by the Government and kept as a Sanctuary lor native birds. The regulations state that tho inhabitants cannot all leave the island at once.

Tho letter of Mr Shakespeare, tins head of tho island dwellers, was referred to tho Registrar-General, who replied that there was no provision on tho statute for voting by post. There ia power to issue absent voters' permits, but from a perusal of the Act it ia 1 clear that the Barrier Islander® are not in this category. Further difficulty confronts them in section 105, which lays down, that & polling booth Cannot bo erected where there arc not at least fifteen Voters. A firm of solicitors ba« taken the matter up* and id Inquiring* whether tho islanders may bo admitted to vole he seamen. . However, it seem® that they are Completely baulked. They cannot leaVti the island, ft. booth cannot be placed 6n tho island because there are not sufficient .Voters to permit the establishment of brie, and they Cannot vote txs fiofitucu inuofis ilm island is declared to be a Ship. VVlulsl the rlghta of oVcn eight voters Should in the oramarv and ivida sense ho attended to, it must also ho remembered that this small number is quito I (iron enough to turn n election.. At a previous contest for this ftlio Wad. teiuata) electorate Mr John Bollard Was returned against Mr Malaolm Nice! b* the majority of n~Single vote,