Polling Booths at Sheep Stations. TO THE EDITOR.
Sir, — Great surprise and indignation was freely expressed by tire electors in the Waitabuna West district that, notwithstanding the strong protests expressed from both sides of the House last session against the practice, the Government .during the, present election for Bruce permitted a polling' booth on a. sheep station. As a public building is centrally situated in this district no- necessity existed for this course. It is a well-known fact that it is possible' to manipulate the.ballot papers in such a manner that it is easy'for a returning officer in the absence of efficient checks to ascertain which way any voter recorded his vote. ..'Now, Sir, you will admit jthat .where; the returning officer is either the employer or relative of the employer of a large numberof men who vote at a sheep station, it is highly undesirable ,that it should be possible for the employer to ascertain which way any of his men voted, and I think it is the duty of the Government to protect voters in the free exercise of their privileges, and I maintain that to permit polling booths at sheep stations, and appointing, either the owner or relatives of his to act as returning officer, is not calculated to attain < this result, and is a direct menace against our liberties. Another complaint is the manner in which the rolls have been manipulated— those used at some polling booths hjivinga number of names struck out with red ink. By whose authority this was done could' not be ascertained. At other booths the full rolls were in use, and persons whose names were struck out on the Waitahuna roll were freely- permitted to record their votes at the Greenfield polling booth. It is to be hoped the, .Government wjll hold a searching inquiry into these matters, and thereby allay the uneasy feeling prevailing among the' public in connection with this matter. —
I am, &c, Waitahuna West, May 6,
A miniature photographic camera attached to the barrel of a gun is the invention of Mr Lechner, of Vienna. By. an automatic shutter, working in union with the trigger or the gun, the sportsman is able to obtain a perfect photograph of the bird or animal immediately before the shot or bullet hag reached it.
Polling Booths at Sheep Stations. TO THE EDITOR.
Otago Witness, Issue 1994, 12 May 1892, Page 26
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