THE ELECTORAL ROLLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 10

THE ELECTORAL ROLLS.

QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT. STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 10. It is now admitted on all hands thai the provision for an electoral census passed •t the instance of the Government last cession was a mistake, and to the present day there is a good deal of uncertainty as to what the present position is. In answer to a question in the House to-day by Mr Anderson, the Prime Minister said the rolls were to be printed within fourteen days after the cards were sent in. He said imaginary grievances were being raised, but there was nothing whatever in them.

Mr Fisher said there were, he believed, some 100 people in Mr Wright's electorate entitled to be on the roll who could not fet on, and there were a great many in. is district who were similarly situated. Could not some arrangement be made in regard to getting these names on. in the meantime?

Sir Joseph Ward said there might have been some weakness on the part of those who were struck off through net having returned the census paper, but instructions were given to reinstate the whole of them upon the roll, except in cases where the registrar was perfectly certain they had left the district permanently. The matter had not been allowed to drift in any way whatever, and the total number of people on the rolls was. 28,330 more than in 1908. He would ask the House to pass legislation this session with a view to legalising the whole position so that those struck off in consequence of the electoral census would be put in the same position in regard to the rolls as if the census papers had not been sent out at all.

Mr Mas3ey asked what about the purging of the rolls? How was it to be done. Sir Joseph Ward said that the purging would take- place in the ordinary way, and the supplementary rolls would be printed as usual. All the printing, except in one or two cases, had been arranged for definitely. The work of the department was being well looked after, and when it was finished, as far as was humanly Sossible everyone entitled to be enrolled ould be enrolled.

Mr A. R. Wright suggested that there was some risk that names would be retained on the rolls Which should be removed. The Prime Minister assured members that the rolls would be purged in exactly the same manner as in previous years. 5i reply to Mr A. L. Herdman he stated &at officers engaged by the registrar's Jepartment were engaged in transferring to ■ the proper roll <he names of those

people affected by the revision of the electoral boundaries. The preparation of the supplementary rolls would enable the department to correct any omissions in this connection not corrected on the main rolls.