ENROLMENT OF ELECTORS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18673, 30 September 1922, Page 5

ENROLMENT OF ELECTORS

METHODS OF CONTINUANCE PARTY. AN ALLEGATION DENIED. , Tlio neglect of many persons to 1 see •that their names are placed on the electoral roll is the reason for the energetic canvass which is at present being carried out by the protagonists of the prohibition and continuance parties respectively. Recently some perturbation has been caused among the members of the Provincial Council of the Otago Licensed Trade by a circular issued by Mr J. Malton Murray, assis-tant-secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, in which the continuance party is virtually accused' of sending out canvassers for enrolment forms, and when it is found that the claimant is a prohibitionist destroying the form instead of sending it on to the registrar of electors. Mr R. S. Johnston, secretary of the “trade’’ council for Otago, informed a Daily Times reporter yesterday that this circular had reached his office on September 15, but as the canvassers did not commence their duties until September 18 it was somewhat premature. Since the canvassers made a start, however, confirmation of tho allegation had been forthcoming in the shape of a personal experience encountered by one of tho men. Writing to Mr Johnston, this canvasser stated when he called at the house of a lady in High street she had explained that she already had a woman at tho back door to put her name on the roll. This particular woman then stepped into tho passage and told the lady not to allow him to put her name on the, roll, ns ho was one of the 'lpound a day” liquor men and had no authority to put anyone on the roll., She further said she had proof positive that tho liquor party , was fending out men and that if they found that anyone was a prohibitionist they destroyed or, held back tho claim forms in order to cancel that person’s vote. “We resent the implication contained in these allegations very strongly,” continued Johnston, “more especially as 'it is entirely opposed to thO course of action which we have laid down. We accept claims for enrolment from anybody, and our policy is to help everybody to get on the roll, because we take the view that a person who is now a prohibitionistmay be a supporter of continuation .when election time comes round. The instructions to our canvassers are very clear; and definite. They are each allotted particular districts, and they must enter the numbers of the houses in consecutive order.- In one case a canvasser went five times to one particular house before a claim was finally fixed up. At, each house they , are required to ascertain without any appearance of inquisitiveness, ho\V, malty voters there are to write their names down in the field book. . They are not to question people how they intend to vote, but' if they can obtain* an idea during (lie-course of conversation the result is to be entered in the columns provided for that purpose. Tho canvasser hands in his report every day, and wo pay no attention to whether the claimants are ‘‘for” or “against” us. Wo check the report to see that; every house has been accounted for. and -after entering the names here we send tho people a card acknowledging the receipt of.,'their claim, so tha t they in turn can " check our office returns. Lastly,, all the names are forwarded to tho registrars of the various electorates. Since September IS,” added Mr Johnston, “we have helped to put practically 2000 persons on the. roll.” As a further proof of the inaccuracy of the allegation, Mr Johnston pointrd'.out the following! which appears-on tho back of -the enrolment claims person who, having obtained possession of a claim for enrolment signed 6y any other person for the purpose of being delivered to the registrar for enrolment, fails to deliver it, so that the claimant’s name is not placed on the roll, is also liable To a fine of £2O, or to three months’ imprisonment. " ' ... “If our opponents can p’rove their Statements,” concluded Mr Johnston, f ‘we have clearly brought ourselves within the penalties of tho law.” 1