Local Elections

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21133, 7 April 1934, Page 12

Local Elections

The recent amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act making municipal elections triennial instead of biennial has given rise to a suggestion that in future the Christchurch Tramway Board elections should be made to coincide with municipal elections. It is apparent from interviews printed in "The Press" yesterday that opinion on the subject among those with experience of local government is fairly evenly divided. From the point of view of expense there would probably be some advantage in holding the Tramway Board and City Council elections on the same date, provided the boundaries of the central sub-district of the Tramway Board could be altered so as to make them conterminous whh those of the city of Christchurch. But it seems likely that the small saving in cost would be more than outweighed by the added complexity of the task before the electors. Already two other sets of ejections those for the Harbour Board and the Hospital Beard—coincide whh the City Council elections; and the addition of Ihc Tramway Board elections would make it. impossible for the average voter to give adequate attention to the issues at stake. The almost inevitable result would be to strengthen the already unwholesome influence of party tickets. The truth is that local body elections in Christchurch will remain expensive and confusing until a determined effort is made to rec'uco the number of local authorities. Minor improvements, such as the introduction of a uniform local government franchise, are possible; beit they are hardly worth attempting until the major evil has been removed.