THE ELECTORAL ROLLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11305, 2 September 1922, Page 4

THE ELECTORAL ROLLS

Ventilation in the House of Representatives of the complaint of Parliamentary electors has established a cause of disquiet. AVe may take irfc as fairly proved that numbers of names that ought to be on the rolls have been struck off. It has, besides, been asserted that numbers of names have been put ou the rolls thaJt ought to have been kept off. The latter has not been proved, and while about the former there can be no doubt—when a family comprising sixteen electors is struck off without notice (to those interested, and a member of Parliament finds himself struck off just when he wants to exercise his vote —no one can hesitate to believe that something untoward has happened, something the Legislature intended in its enactment on the subject to prevent. The other statement, which is of roll-stuffing, 13 even more grievous; and though the proof, so far as we can see from the discussion in the House, is not as definite as in the other category of wrong things done, the complaints require just as searching investigation. It is not sufficient to reply that the officials and the whole department are trustworthy. The proof is thalt something has gone wrong, and to that the only thing to he said is that it must be put right, and recurrence prevented. At the same time let the elector do a little thinking. The. electors are not mighty lords and ladies looking to obsequious servants to dress them, tie their shoes, feed them with spoons, and deposit them softly in luxurious - carriages when they want to go out on business, which some electors are unfortunate enough to have to do, or on pleasure which, of course, ought to be the only; occupation of electors lucky enough, to own the luxury of a representative in Parliament. It is the duty of electors to see for themselves that they are on the rolls, and it is a very easy thing to do for, the protection of a privilege which is really valuable. A look at the roll before the "leenon is a better safeguard than a vicarious protest against disfranchisement long after the votes are counted.