ELECTORAL CENSUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2988, 21 June 1911, Page 8

ELECTORAL CENSUS.

INITIAL PREPARATIONS. CFkom Qua Own Correspondent.l CHRISTCHURCH, June 14. The registrars of electors for the different Christchurch constituencies are pre paring for the taking of the electoral census on Sunday, July 9. The electorates are being marked off into blocks, and each of these blocks will be worked by enrolment officers, who will leave and collect schedules, and if necessary make the necessary new enrolments. It is pointed out that' though householders who refuse to fill in the schedule or to answer such questions as the enrolment officer is authorised to put render themselves liable to a fine of £5," there is nothing making it compulsory for any person who does not desire to have his name on the electoral roil to sign the claim for enrolment. There is no doubt (says the Press) that refusals to enrol will be met with occasionally, and the enrolment officer is directed to take a note of such cases in the words " refuse to be enrolled," with reasons for such refusals, when obtainable. It seems that the propriety of taking the electoral census in conjunction with the general census was considered by the Government and was referred to the census enumerators and registrars of electors for their opinions. The weight of opinion *ppears to have been opposed to such a course. The general census enumerators opposed it because the extra work in7olved in the distribution, collection, and particularly rectifying of omissions would nave delayed indefinitely the main work of the general census, and given cause for endless confusion. As it was the agricultural census was taken with the general census, and another extra paper would have caused a lot of trouble. The regisIracs of electors objected to the proposal }>ecause an electoral census taken in April would be practically valueless in November, in view of the shifting nature of the city population. One registrar told a Press representative that it was his experience that 30 per cent, of the electors m the cities shifted into other electorates between elections, and another said that 60 per cent, either shifted into another electorate or changed their address. The registrars were agreed that in the case of the census to be taken in July there will have to be very considerable readjustments before polling day on account di electors changing their addresses. The case of one elector who had changed his residence seven times between elections was quoted, and other cases of five and six changes were not at all uncommon. The view taken by the local registrars Is that the census is intended to secure A complete and clean roll for each electorate, and that it will discharge the onus

which is now on the registrars to see that every person entitled to be on the roll has his name thereon. After the elections people who have not recorded their votes will be written to and asked whether they wish their names to be retained on the rpll. The onus subsequently will be thrown on the elector to see that his name is on the roll. The taking of the census will involve a considerable amount of clerical work, and the registrars will be approaching the department shortly for authority to engage the necessary assistance.