The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-04 00:00:00

THE REGISTRATATION OF VOTERS.

The following proposals for the amendment of the
law of registration of voters at Parliamentary elec-
tions, recommended by a conference of secretaries of
Liberal associations and registration agents convened
by the Executive Committee of the London and
Counties Liberal Union have been unanimously
adopted:
1. While ample powers of amendment are con-
ferred upon revising barristers by sub-sections 1 and
2 of seetion 28 of the Parliamentary and Municipal
Registration Act, 1878, the beneficial effect of that
extension of their powers is nullified by sub-sections
13 of the same section, which restricts the Dower
conferred by sub-sections 1 and 2 to trivial amend-
ments; while others of importance in the fourth
column of the register are left without power of
amendment. For instance, the number of the house
which gives the qualification may be "4 ;" by a
printer's error it appears as "41," but by the action
of the 13th sub-section the power of correction con-
ferred by sub-section 1 is destroyed; for, although
clearly a mistake, the alteration would be a change in
the description of the qualification as it appears in
the list, and the error could not therefore be amended.
There does not appear to be any valid reason why
such errors should not be amended, and the repeal of
the 13th sub-section of section 28 of the Parlia-
mentary and Municipal Elections Registration Act,
1878, is recommended.
2. By section 9 of the Representation of the People
Act, 1884, the overseers are liable to a penalty of
forty shillings for each default in placing the names
of voters on the list, but the provision for compelling
landlords or their agents, to make returns only
inflicts a penalty of forty shilling for failure to make
the return. In some cases, as for instance model
dwelling houses, such neglect might involve the dis-
franchisement of several hundred Electors. It is,
therefore, recommended that the penalty be in-
creased to forty shillings for each name omitted, as
provided already in the case of overseers by 32 and
33 Vict.,.c. 41, section 9. _ _

3. Both the conference and the committee enter-
tain a decided conviction that the duties of registra-
tration in both county divisions and boroughs would
be performed in a more complete and satisfoctory
manner by an officer whose sole duty should be the
registration of voters rather than by several overseers
or vestry clerks. The functions of the latter are too
multifarious for the proper performance of this duty,
while the former, being unpaid officials, have act the
same inducement, nor indeed facility, for carrying
into effect the provisions of the Franchise and
Registration Acts. It is therefore recommended
that a registration officer be appointed for each con-
stituency, whose duty it should be to see that every
properly qualified person is placed on the list, with
stringent penalties for misfeasance.
4. The period of occupation necessary for a quali-
fication is very generally felt to be too long, having
regard to the necessary removals of wor' ;lig men
consequent upon change of employment, and operates
as a measure of disfranchisement for which there is
no sufficient reason. There would also be an obvious
advantage in making all qualifying periods terminate
at the same time and upon some easily remembered
day. It is therefore recommended that the period
be reduced from twelve months to six months, and
that the six months should terminate on the Ist of
July in each year, for every description of qualifica-
tion.

5. The anomalous distinction between lodgers and
occupiers of parts of houses is also felt to be indefen-
sible and calls for amendment, especially having
regard to the enormous nwnber of persons occupying;
both classes of lodgings who are added to the elec-
torate,by the Franchise Act. To leave the question
whether the parochial authorities are to place a man's
name on the list, or whether he is to be compelled to
claim for the purpose of securing registration, to be
declined by the solo fact of the residence or non-resi-
dence on the premises of the landlord, is a state of
things which should be put an end to, and this, it is
submitted, can best be done by amalgamating the
lodger list with the occupiers' list. It is therefore
recommended that in future all occupiers of parts of
houses whether furnished or unfurnished should be
placed upon the occupiers' list whether the landlord is
resident or nat.
6. It is also believed that the declaration now
made in connection with lodger claims might be used
with advantage in the claims of occupiers, especially
in the case of occupiers of parts of houses where the
landlord is not resident. It is therefore recom-
mended that a declaration should be annexed to the
occupier's claim analogous to the present lodger
declaration, and that it should be received as prima
facie evidence of the facts stated therein, with penalty
for false statement.

7. Duplicate entries being both misleading and a
source of fraud and personation, it is urged that no
man should be registered for more than one qualifica-
tion in the same borough or division of a county, and
that it should be the duty of the revising barrister,
upon being satisfied that the entries refer to the same
person, to ascertain for which qualification he desires
to be registered, and to erase any other entries.
8. Considerable difficulty having been experienced
in many places in obtaining copies of the overseers'
lists when published, it is recommended that the
overseers or registration authorities should be cora-
pelled to supply lists to all applicants on receiving
the statutable fee and the amount of the postage.