Bay of Plenty Times MONDAY, APRIL, 23rd. 1917 WEDNESDAY'S ELECTIONS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLV, Issue 6856, 23 April 1917, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times MONDAY, APRIL, 23rd. 1917 WEDNESDAY'S ELECTIONS.

On Wesdnesday next the electors of the Borough—that 19 all those persona whose names appear on thp district electors' roll—are called upon to once more exercise their right to elect a Mayor and nine Councillors for two years, and at the same time to elect also two representatives for the Borough on the Tauranga Harbour Board. For the Mayoralty we have a straightout issue between the Bitting Mayor, Mr C. E. Macraillan, and Mr J. C. Adams, who contested the position with Mr MacmilUti at the last elec tioD. uoth candidates have Broken, and both have dived and delved into the dusty, rnuety past? with little or no regard to the future. Mr'Macmillan has told v* what his policy will be in Borne respects, and Mr Adams has told us of some things that must be put right, but neither has had anything very illuminating to say as to how, having helped the borough to "knock down it's cheque," ao to speak,, it's somewhat aching head should be soothed. About September last, when the Mayor proposed to raise £5000 for street metalling we asked that before the people were called to vote upon Buch a picpoeal they should be informed as to where the borough stood financially. The.Mayor did not think such a course necessary, and the majority of the ratepayers evidently thought so too for they passed the loan. The position so far as the debit balance at the bank is concerned has worked out much aa we anticipated, and the borough in now faced witn the fact that having spent on general worKs something over £1000 a year beyond its revenue, for the past three years, its general revenue must be increased or expenditure very considerably curtailed. \Ne\ther candidate haa told us which course he proposes to adopt. The old platitudes about works of a non-recurring nature are of no avail. Each year brings its own needs and requirements that have to be met. It is very evident therefore that with an overdraft that cannot with safety be much increased, there must either be a considerable curtailment of the work, or a decided increase in the general rate. The electors must therefore in electing their Mayor and Councillors choose men who can be relied upon to exercise the foresight neces sary to conduct the affairs of the Borough througn a period that will prove one of no littJe difficulty. Of the twelve candidates offering some have alresdy had experience of municipal managenifcnt, others have proved themselves capable of conducting their own businesses in a manner that should make them capable administrators of borough affairs, while others again are untried. So far rs the Harbour Board election is concerned the one regret is that Mr Adams had declined to allow himself- to be again nominated.

With respect to the polling the ouly booth will be at the Town.Hall, the entrance being by the large door in Wharf Street nearest the stage, and the exit by the next door nearer the main entrance. Each voter will be suppliedwith three ballot papers of different colours, one for Mayor, one for Councillors, and one for Harbour Board representatives. Separate ballot boxea will be provided for each, clearly marked, bo that there should be no confusion as to the box in which the respective papers should be placed. Th« method of voting is of course that with which electors are now familiar, viz., to place a cross in the square opposite the name of the candidate or candidate for whom they wish to vote. In the Mayoral election a cross iB required opposite one or other of the candidates, in tUe Harbour Board election crosses are required opposite two of the three names appearing on the voting paper, and in the election for Councillors crosses are required opposite nine out of the twelve names appearing. If more nimes are uarked than there are vacancies to fill the voting paper is of course invalid. The polling booth will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., any electors in the booth at the latter hour being of course entitled to record their votes. The result of the Mayoral election should be known early—before eight o'clock—and the Harbour election a little later. The result of the Council election will probably take some time to ascertain there being twelve candidates for the

nine vac,- c ! / • ; elector wiiu >. ';..V \. . - - .:"^ vote. On Wednesday a poll will also be taken to elect three representativeß for the Harfcour Board for the combined ridings of Maketu and Te Puke. I There are four candidates, viz., Messrs H. J Gill, C. Lally and D. Gra; t, the sitting members, and Mr A. Van Asch. The polling booths are at the Coronation Hall, Tauranga; Mission Hall, Te Poke; School House, Paengaroa; and railway station, Papamoa. The polling houis are from i) a.m. to 6 p.m. There Beems to be some doubt as to whether a person entitled to vote foe both the county and the borough in thi Harbour Board elections can exercise both votes. The position seems, to ba clearly that he can, exactly the eatre as a person having, votes in several tidings for the county can exercise his vats in each of the ridings for which holds w the qualificatione.