ELECTORAL ROLLS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1922, Page 4

ELECTORAL ROLLS.

It is impossible to conceive a more complete farce than the holding of Election Courts, if the sample of that held at Wellington on Tuesday is any criterion. The function of these courts, which were provided by the legislature, was to purge the rolls of all names which were proved to appear on the roll improperly, much in the same way as the Revising Barristers’ Court in the Motherland has to hear and determine on the merits or otherwise of objections lodged against names appearing on the roll. The object in both cases is the same, namely, to as far as possible ensure a clean, legitimate roll. In the Dominion’s case the intention has been frustrated by such obvious defects in the machinery that a revision of the roll of the Election Courts is absolutely impossible. Who is responsible for this fiasco is not of so much consequence as that prompt means should be taken for putting an end to the present farce, and preparing the very simple machinery requisite for enabling the courts to function in the manner intended. It seems almost incredible that the Act governing this matter contains no section under which a name can ‘be struck off the roll. The Magistrate (Mr. Riddell) described the position as peculiar, but he might well have applied a stronger term—it is nothing less than a legislative scandal, especially when viewed in the light of the absurd provisions made. For instance, people alleged to be wrongfully on the roll have to be advised of any objection made to their names remaining there. The Registrar has to issue this notification, and the objectors have previously to notify the Registrar. Y’et only two days are allowed for all these formalities after the closing of the rolls and the issuing of the writs. Assuming, however, that these steps have been taken at express speed, there still remains the fact that they only represent so much waste time, because there is no provision in the Act enabling the Registrar to strike a name off the rolls. According to Major Burton, of the Salvation Army, that organisation has found three thousand names on the roll which they objected to on the ground either of duplication, non-existence, or- having left the district. Even assuming that a proportion of the objections were not maintained it is most desirable that all objections should be heard and adjudicated upon. An effective system of revising the rolls is so extremely simple, and so necessary, that most people will be surprised—probably shocked—at the manner in which these Election Courts in the Dominion have been made futile. It is well known that hundreds of names are rushed through and placed on the rolls in the last few days before they close, hence the necessity for a close and thorough examination and the provision of the necessary time for that purpose. The question is not what degree of harm is done by names wrongfully on the roll, but the principle of purging the rolls and preventing dishonesty and malpractice. Now that the farce has been exposed, the sooner it is ended the better for the Government and al] honest voters.