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A notification was issued from the Colonial Secretariat on 14th June, 1966.
In an effort to obtain further publicity, representatives of the press and radio commentators were invited to the Registration of Persons Office on the 30th of June to view the procedures for the processing of application forms and the preparation of the Provisional and Final Register of Electors.
As ratepayers form one of the largest groups of potential electors, the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation had printed 100,000 leaflets advising ratepayers of their eligibility to apply for electoral registration. I recently heard on Saturday 97,532 of these have actually been sent by name to ratepayers. In addition, the Director of Information Services has designed a pamphlet publicizing electoral registration, of which 100,000 copies have been printed. Copies of the pamphlet have been distributed to Kaifong Associations, the Civic Association, the Reform Club, the two Universities and tenants of Housing Estates. Copies have also been placed at Public Enquiry Service Counters and all Post Offices where they are freely available to members of the public.
As regards distribution of application forms, two press releases have been issued informing public bodies, civic organizations, etc. that forms may be obtained in bulk from the Registration of Persons Head Office. The Registration Officer has been in liaison with a number of professional bodies and organizations in the Colony seeking their assistance in bringing to the attention of their members their eligibility to apply for electoral registration and in distributing the application forms and the publicity pamphlets mentioned above. To date, 105,000 copies of application forms have been issued from the registration office.
On 29th May, Government published in the press a statutory advertisement explaining to persons whose names were on the last electoral roll that notices were being sent to them asking them to state whether they wish to have their names included in the new register, and calling upon them to return the notices early. This advertisement was again published on 7th July, 1966. Reminders will shortly be sent to those who have still not replied to the notice.
8. The Commissioner of Registration is at present considering further means of publicity and it is proposed to continue, by way of press releases, radio interviews, and advertisements in the local press, to bring to the attention of those who are eligible to register, the need to do so before the registration period comes to an end on 15th September.
DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, are we permitted to ask supplementary questions?
VICE-CHAIRMAN:- Certainly Dr. BELL, if they are in order. (Laughter).
DR. BELL:- I think this is. The form which has been sent round for people to register themselves—I don't know whether you have seen it—but it states first of all on the front page the penalty for filling it in wrongly. That is the first thing anybody sees. Secondly, on the inside page, the form asks if you are Mr., Mrs. or Miss. You must fill in your name according to your identity card. The average Chinese lady uses her own name and not that of her husband on her identity card. If she fills in her married name which is not on her identity card, she is liable to the penalty which is on the first page. If she fills in that she is "Miss" or whatever the case may be this is not true. I would be very grateful Mr. Chairman if you could put this to the Commissioner of Registration and ask him to clarify what the public ought to do in these circumstances through the medium of the press and radio.
VICE-CHAIRMAN:- I do not know whether the Commissioner has thought of the points you have raised, but I will certainly put them to him.
DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, I would particularly like it if you could ask him not to put the penalty for filling in such a form wrongly on the front page. It is normal to put the penalty, if there must be a penalty for filling a form in wrongly, at the end of the form. But this appears on the front page of the registration form, and I would be grateful if you could suggest to the Commissioner that it should have been put in at the end.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, I quite agree with what Dr. BELL has said because many potential voters are very concerned about making a mistake or giving the wrong information. They could be fined or go to gaol. I think, however, that the Commissioner of Registration made a statement to the press and well emphasized that it was not the intention of Government to catch every person who gave wrong information and have him put in gaol. I think it would be a good idea if this could be again drawn to his attention, and he should also make another statement clarifying this point.
I understand that Government is being very thorough in approaching its civil servants to register, particularly the Police. A few days
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