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THE ELECTORAL ROLLS.
To the Fjitor.
Sir,-The letter of the Chief Electoral
Officer in Friday's issue is a contradic
tion. It is not meant as an apology,
but the writer apologises. Inam one
among some thousands who consider
that Mr. Stenberg has thoroughly jus
tified his appointment. Any apology
therefore must be for the Act he admi
nisters, and it needs it. Very much,
however, can be redeemed by a wise
and painstaking administration. Mr.
Stenberg courts inquiry. Why should a
"temporary canvassing staff" exist ? The
Electoral Act must exist for all time
in a democratic community, and its
officers, from deputy electoral regis
trars to the chief, should be of a per
manent character, and "artists" at the
work. Cannot the Government adopt
a mode of remuneration for these ouni
cers that will stimulate them to become
practically acquainted with the voters
of their own districts ? This announce
ment of purifying and completing the
Assembly electoral. rolls from 'Midland
Junction to Fremantle by a "tempo
rary canvassing staff" is a mischievous,
irritating, unreliable method. The
Department treats the electors in a
very harassing manner. The fact that
their names are on the electoral roll is
proof they are bona-fide electors, and
they should not be removed except
through death. The Act provides a
remedy for change of residence, and
when an elector'claims to ,be placed on
the roll of another district he is requir
ed to state on what other roll his name
appears, so that it may be fairly and
legally removed. No person should
lose his vote because of change of re
sidence. Wherever he or she is, the
right of citizenship is the same. Hun
dreds of electors are losing their pa
tience with the Department, and will
not give replies. There is one little
"cuss," and the papers go into the
waste basket. The question is, does
the Government wish the whole of the
residents to have votes? If so, 'is it not
far better that 100 names be left on
than that 10 bona-fide voters be rudely
struck off? There are still remedies
for doubtful voters. The scrutineers
of the various candidates will put the
rolls to a test far more severely than
the "temporary canvassing staff."
When the Department sees the import
ance of these objections, and appoints
and pays a duly qualified local officer in
each centre, we shall hear the last of
thousands of objection notices being
sent out. Unless we are to believe
the rolls from Midland Junction to Fre
mantle have been stuffed, there should
not be serious difficulty in tracing the
present abode of every elector. If
the Chief Electoral Officer refers this
matter to the Postal Department he
will find they have a marvellous way
of effecting delivery of letters. But
the weakness of the Act does not so
much lie in the disfranchisement of
the electors, but from the cheese
paring policy of not providing pro
per officers throughout the length and
breadth of the State to receive the
votes of the electors wherever they may
be, and in not providing for each pos
tal district or centre, however small,
the necessamy polling 'booth. The ad
dress of an elector on the roll should
not count for much. There are new
postal districts being formed month by
month, the news of which would not
reach the Electoral Department for a
year or more. Besides, there are new
settlers, visitors and travellers in every
district who require to record their
"postal" vote through the proper
officer. One further suggestion I
would make, which I think worth the
consideration of the Government. There
should be days of grace in the widely
scattered districts. While it is con
venient and consistent that such elec
torates as Per+h, Fremantle and their
suburbs should record their votes on
the same day, the time for voting
should be extended from two days to
seven days in the far outstretched dis
tricts of the State. Before the 75 or
80 per cent. of voting can take place
the opportunities for postal voting
will need to be very extended, and they
can be safely secured on the British
ground that a man is innocent until
found guilty. Why should there he
such distrust in attesting the signature
of a voter ?-Yours, etc..
A DUTIFUL CITIZEN.
Bedfordale, July 14.
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