The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1911.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3367, 6 November 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1911.

Are You on the Roll?

Now that the date for the holding of the parliamentary and licensing elections has been settled, it behoves aii qualified residents to see that they are duly registered as electors. It will be observed that the day of battle has been fixed for December 7th, which falls on a Thursday this year There is especial reason why every care should be exercised in regard to the matter of enrolment on this occasion. As is well known', proceedings were set on foot some time ago with the object of talking an electoral census throughout the Dominion as was provided by recent legislation. In theory, the scheme seemed workable; but, after it had been in practice for only a very brief period it had to he abandoned. The position to-day is that in some districts there are numerous complaints that names which should be removed still appear upon rolls, but by far the most common grievance is that names which have a right to stand seem to have been deleted in a rather wholesale manner in a number of localities. For our own part we feel that as a rule far too little attention is paid to the matter of enrolments by those who are most concerned—the electors. May we impress upon one and all that it is not nearly sufficient to imagine that because one exercised one’s vote three years ago or that because one has filled in an enrolment form say only recently one’s name is bound to be on the roll? Of course, in a great many cases everything may be all right, but if deprivation of the privilege of voting occurs in any instance, the person or persons concerned will simply have to comfort themselves with the knowledge that it does not always do to take these things for granted. Let one and all bear in mind that only those electors who are actually on. the fisal roll can participate in the forthcoming elections! It might perhaps be just a s well to mention that the right to vote is possessed by every adult person (with few exception) who lias resided for one year in the Dominion, and who has resided in the electoral district for which he (or she) claims to vote during the three months immediately preceding his (or her) registration! on the roll of the district and who is a British subject either by birth or naturalisation in New Zealand or a half-caste. The chief reasons why we draw attention to the necessity for early registration* is that the main roll is now printed, and the supplementary rolls are in the course of compilation. When the rolls will finally close cannot yet be announced, but it can be shown fairly approximately. It is of course well known that the term of the present Parliament will expire on November 21. Then the writs for the elections must be issued within seven days from the date, of prorogation. As the supplementary rolls close with the issue of the writs, it will thus be seen that very little time is left for enrolling. In connection with the rolls, there is just one point that will hear special emphasis. Strange as it- may seem at. first glance, it does not really follow that all those persons whose names appear on the main roll that has just been issued will be allowed to vote. lor one or other of various causes quite a number of the names on this roll have since been officially "removed,” and unless reinstated will not form part of the legal roll. When one examines the roll one must not therefore be content if one finds his or her name on the list. It is necessary also for everyone to see that their name does not also appear on the list (at the back of the roll) of those who have since been struck off. In brief, therefore, the position is this If ally duly qualified person docs not find liis or* her name securely on the main roll, and has not received a notification from the registrar to the effect that, enrolment lias actually taken* place in their case lie or should . get busy” in the matter, as the time within which enrolment may take place is now getting somewhat limited.