DAIRY CONTROL BALLOT.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15353, 29 September 1923, Page 5

DAIRY CONTROL BALLOT.

PAPERS COMING IN. A RECORD POSTAL VOTE. (By Telegraph.—Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The interest taken by the dairy suppliers in the poll on the Dairy Export Control Act is illustrated by the fact that some of the ballot papers have already been returned, although the ballot box will not be opened until October 17. There arc approximately 55,000 suppliers on the roll, and the ballot will be the largest ono ever taken by post. Of the total number, 35,000 ballot papers have already been despatched; a further 5000 will be sent out to-morrow, and the balance will have been despatched ftom the Electoral Department by Wednesday next. The whole of the factories' in the Dominion have sent in lists of suppliers. The returning officer, Mr G. u. Hodgkins, to-day explained to your representative the system under which the vote was to be taken. Every ballot envelope sent out contains iui identifying number that will enable him to check off the individual voters. The unopened ballot papers will then be deposted in tho ballot bojc to bn counted on and from October 1 1, at noon, on which day all ballot papers' must be in tho hands of the returning officer.

Questioned as to the likelihood of envelopes not reaching voters, the returning officer stated that only a veryfew had been returned as insufficiently addressed, owing to the incomplete information being given by I lie factory secretaries, and all these had been traced and readdressed with the assistance of the electoral rolls and the rolls of factory suppliers. The agency of the factory had been utilised (to deliver the papers in extreme cases, where the voter could not be located by the postal authorities. Mr Hodgkins estimated that the number that would net receive voting papers would be practically nil. Tho balllot will coft approximately £7OO in postage, but the big expense that is usually entailed by Ihe employment of offleres at various booths will be saved.