§ 33. Mr. GILBERTasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will instruct registration officers to accept from recognised political agents notifications of changes of addresses of naval and military voters on the absent voters' list; and whether he will further instruct registration officers that such new addresses, when verified by inquiries, be entered on the records of addresses of absent voters?
Mr. FISHERThe Act requires the registration officer to keep a record of any address furnished to him by an absent voter or by the Admiralty, Army Council, Air Council, or Board of Trade. A postcard form is being printed in which naval and military voters who are temporarily absent from their units can readily supply their addresses, and there will be no objection to this being done through the political agents, who will be able to obtain the cards from the registration officers.
§ Major BOWDENCan the right hon. Gentleman define a recognised political agent?
Mr. FISHERI do not think I could give any definition that would be satisfactory to the political agents.
§ Major BOWDENI am not concerned with the political agents. I am concerned with the voters. Does the right hon. Gentleman mean party agents? That is a different matter.
Mr. FISHERI meant any agent who is known to the registration officer as representing any considerable party or section in the locality will be able to inform an absent voter in the locality from which he is registered that he can obtain a card and so inform the registration officer that the address on the ballot paper is not iris address in France, but his address at home.