Delinquent Electors

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 188, 17 August 1935, Page 3

Delinquent Electors

Angry voices over the telephone and indignant personal callers have been disturbing the calm of the office of the ■Registrar of Electors for Christchurch (Mr J. J. McGahey) recently. The trouble has arisen largely owing to the delinquency of electors who were politely requested by letter to advise The Registrar whether they were still at the same addresses. Several thousand electors who actually received this notice failed to return the attached form, and during the past week or two registered letters have been sent to them by 'the Registrar objecting to the retention of their names on the roll. This action is required under the Electoral Act and throws the onus on the electors concerned. In at least one case, however, a registered letter, dated .Tune 25, was not delivered until July 5, although the elector concerned was allowed only ten days from June 25 in which to appeal against the removal of his name from the roll. When this case was referred to Mr McG<ahey he stated that he could not understand the delay in the delivery of the letter as all the objections were posted within a day of being prepared, but if the elector returned the notice of appeal immediately it would be accepted. The Chief Postmaster (Mr F. W. Furby) stated that all the letters were dealt with as received and he did not see how a delay of ten days could have occurred.