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XIV. ELECTORAL OFFICE Registration of Electors Until the end of December, 1948, current enrolments, removals, and notifications of change of address were maintained at a volume considered to be normal for nonelection years. However, approaching the special polls in March, 1949, there was considerable activity in district registry offices in the handling of increased enrolments, &c., due to the growing public interest in the polls. At the closing of the rolls on the 14th February the total voting strength was 1,072,713. Legislation Electoral Amendment Act, 1948 Several sections in this Act deal with Maori representation and apply to the Maori a system of enrolment similar to that of the pakeha. There is also provision for the rolls for the Maori electoral districts to be prepared in the Chief Electoral Office. Other sections are devoted to overcoming certain difficulties apparent from the hearing of the Raglan election petition. Further sections dealing with miscellaneous matters amend the Electoral Act to modern requirements. • Gaming Poll Act, 1948 The purpose of this Act was to ascertain the will of the majority of Euopean and Maori electors by holding a general poll on the question whether the law should be extended to permit off-course betting on horse races. The scheme of off-course betting to be put to the people was the one recommended by the Gaming Commission in its report. The Commission recommended that such a scheme be instituted and that it should be handled by the New Zealand Racing and Trotting Conferences through the totalizator. Provision was made for bringing up to date and using at the poll the rolls compiled for the last election and for the preparation and use of a further supplementary roll. The Act further provided for the European and Maori vote to be taken simultaneously, under the appropriate rules of the Electoral and Licensing Acts, on a date to be fixed by the Governor-General by Order in Council. Licensing Amendment Act, 1948 The Parts of this Act relating to local restoration polls and special polls on certain other issues were prepared in consultation with representatives of this Branch. Part V provides for the taking of a vote on the question of trust control in conjunction with the vote on the question of restoration of licences at the usual triennial polls in no-licence districts. Part VI provided for a special general poll of electors on a question as to hours to be appointed for the sale of liquor in hotel bars ; also for special local polls on questions ■ of the restoration or the issue of licences for the sale of liquor, together with a further question of trust control in defined areas of Ashburton, Geraldine, and the King-country. Provision was made for these special polls to be taken in similar manner to and -on the same day as the " off-course betting " poll under the Gaming Poll Act, 1948.

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