AN ELECTION YEAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 281, 26 November 1937, Page 6

AN ELECTION YEAR

MANY CONTESTS IN 1938 PARLIAMENTARY AND LOCAL WILL THE MAYORALTY BE CONTESTED? Next year will indeed be election year. The Parliamentary election is to be decided and also elections to choose the personnel of various local bodies lor a further term. The date of the Parliamentary election is not known, but it is expected to fall in either November or December next. Already matters are shaping themselves in that direction and the respective parties are organising. In the case of local body elections, however, although the exact date of those contests is known—the second Wednesday in May—little, if any, interest is being shown as yet in the Wanganui district. i So far as Wanganui is conccrncii major interest in local body election ’ will centre in the Mayoralty. Mr. W. J. Rogers, the Mayor in office, is almost certain to stand again. Whether he will be opposed is not yet known, though there is a distinct possibility that he will be. At the same time as the Mayoral election there will be polls to elect a new City Council, and city representatives on Harbour, Hospital and Electric Power Boards. Interest in these matters will quicken after the end-of-the year holidays. So far as the Parliamentary elections are concerned, Wanganui parochial interests will lie principally in the city seat and those in the three neighbouring rural electorates—Rangitikei, Patea and Waimarino. Intended alterations to electoral boundaries may have some bearing on the position as compared with lasi year, the major portion of Wanganu East having been brought within the Wanganui electorate and remover from Rangitikei. Likewise a portior of Rangitikei in the Main Trunk area has been merged in Waimarino. It is presumed that the three sitting members will offer themselves for reelection—Mr. H. G. Dickie (Patea; > Mr. J. B. Cotterill (Wanganui) and Mr. Ormond Wilson (Rangitikei). At the moment, however, no indication has been given of their opponents. It is certain, however, that all three scats will be contested. The immediate major concern for the public will be correct compilation of rolls. It is the duty of every elector to see that his or her name is included. Enrolment should not be taken for granted, more particularly if altered electoral boundaries are to be observed. Registrars of electors endeavour, as far as possible, to keep rolls up to date by required deletior. and addition, but the onus i.s on the elector personally to see that enrolment is in order. In due course everyone on the Parliamentary rolls will be circularised by post and a further revision will be carried out, more particularly to aetcct those persons who have moved their abode from one electorate to another. The num oer of such persons is very large and causes a great deal of work to the officials before eveiy general election. It. is to be noted that failure by an eligible resident of New Zealand to register as an elector is a punishable offence, but voting i.s not compulsory. Local Body Rolls Enrolment on the Parliamentary roll is a different matter, however, to enrolling for local body elections. Local body rolls are compiled by the local body holding jurisdiction over the area concerned. In Wanganui, for instance, the City Council will be the enrolling authority and before the local body elections in May suitable appeals will be made to those eligible to vote to see that their names are included on the municipal roll. Grouping of so many elections (Parliamentary and local) in one year is the result of comparatively recent legislation. The life of Parliament, which was extended to four years under the late Government, has been reduced to three years. By the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Act, 1935, the term of office of town boards, road boards and drainage boards was extended temporarily to three years, namely, until 138, except in cases where an election of all the members of any such body was normally required to be held within 12 months prior to May 11, 1938. The provisions of this Act will have to be extended if the arrangement is to continue after next year's elections.