COUNTY ELECTIONS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 10827, 26 March 1932, Page 3

COUNTY ELECTIONS.

RATEPAYERS’ POSITION. The Government has decided to introduce legislation during the present emergency session of Parliament temporarily suspending section 57 off the Counties Act, 1920, which debars country ratepayers who are in arrear with their rates voting at the county elections. The county elections throughout the Dominion will be held on May 11 next and many county ratepayers who have been unable to pay their rates this year have been somewhat exercised as to what their position will be in view of section 57. The Hon. A. Hamilton, Minister of Internal Affairs, stated this week that representations on the subject had been received and opinion on it seemed to be somewhat divided among county representatives. The Government desired to weigh the balance a.s evenly as possible between the county councils, who naturally desired the rates paid, and the county ratepayer who wished to pay his rates, but at the present time had not the ready money to do so. For that rea-son Cabinet, after due consideration., had decided to give legislative effect to the request of the executive of the Counties’ Association that the disqualification should not apply to any ratepayer who was not more than two years’ rates in arrear. The Minister added that the concession would be temporary only, and would apply to electric power district ratepayers and others affected by the disqualification provisions.