ELECTORAL ENROLMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3004, 11 October 1911, Page 6

ELECTORAL ENROLMENT.

FACETIOUS CLAIMANT FINED. (From Oub Own Cobrespondent.) INVERCARGILL, September 27. The local experience has been that people show a good deal of ignorance or indifference -in the filling up of claims for enrolment, thereby causing registrars in different electorates unnecessary trouble, and delaying claimants' enrolment until the necessary inquiries axe made. At the Magistrate's Court to-day the Registrar of Electors for Invercargill proceeded against a retired seafaring man who had made his claim for enrolment the subject of a joke, thus making false and misleading declarations, which cost him 30s and a lecture from the bench.

The Crown Solicitor (Mr W. Macalister) said that he was instructed not to press for a heavy fine.. The defendant had admitted his wrong-doing and apologised to the registrar, but just about this time some two or three thousand claims for enrolment were being received by that official, and to be bothered with 6uch claims as the defendant had filed. was at least annoying. The defendant's claim stated that the last electoral district he had resided in was " Heaven," his address, on that roll was " Bluff Press," and' his present address the " Six-fathom mark." The case had been brought as a warning to others that their claims must be properly filled in and declared Fefore authorised persons. The magistrate said that aG a fine was not asked for the defendant would be convicted and ordered to pay costs (9s) and solicitor's fee (£1 Is). If any further cases of the kind came before him he would deal severely with them, as it was of the utmost importance to the country that the electoral rolls should be correcly compiled. .