DAY BY DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16788, 4 May 1926, Page 4

DAY BY DAY.

The assertion that wholesale "dummying" lias been rom-

Purity of Elections

milted in one of the Sydney electorates at both Federal and Slate

elcctions is not likely lo go unchallenged. No political party will admit thai it has been quilly of resorting lo practices that are illegal and dishonest. Delected cases of impersonation have been of distinctly rare occurrence in .New Zealand, and ii is probable, that the undetected cases have been few in number. Fortunately the standard of political morality in Ibis country is fairly high. The danger, however, thai impersonation may be systematically organised is one that has always lo be reckoned with in large constituencies' if unscrupulous election agents are employed. It is a danger against, which even (he most carefully constructed safeguards might not be wholly effective in constituencies of huge area such as would be necessary if proportional representation were adopted as the system of the election of members of Parliament in Ibis country. The best protection which the Dominion can have against the practice of shabby electoral tricks, such as the impersonation of abscnl and dead men and women whose names happen lo he included in the electoral rolls, is afforded in Lie maintenance of "clear" rolls. 11 is not very apparent Dial Hie provision for compulsory enrolment is one that contributes lo this end. Hut the purging of the rolls after every election by the removal from llicm of the names of all non-voters, and the continuous process of Ihe removal of the names of persons whose deaths are registered, are, of considerable value in limiting the opportunities for impersonation. And in constituencies of moderate size, where the rolls are closely scrutinised on behalf of Ihe candidates, Ihe risk of detection operates powerfully againsl impersonation, which is rightfully regarded as an offence of considerable gravity, punishable In New Zealand by as much as two years' imprisonment.—Ulago Witness.