LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24987, 23 September 1946, Page 6

LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

NOVEMBER IN FUTURE CHANGE TO WEDNESDAY POLL (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 20. . The time for the holding of elections for ’local authorities is changed from May to November and a reversion made to mid-week polling by the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill which was introduced and read a first time in the House of Representatives this afternoon. The bill provides that next year, and in future, the elections shall be held on the last Wednesday in November. The present position is that next elections are due to be held on the third Saturday in May, 1947. There is also provision in the bill concerning enrolments. It is proposed to authorise local body officers to use Parliamentary rolls for the compilation of the local body rolls. This will apply only in those cases where the residential franchise operates. The bill also gives right for a residential elector to make a declaration vote if his name is not on the local body roll but is on the Parliamentary roll. It is also proposed in the bill to abolish occupier’s qualifications and the husband and, wife qualification. It is stated this provision will mainly affect boroughs and certain specially constituted local authorities. A further provision fixes a uniform closing day for all local body rolls and a uniform nomination day for elections. Following the reversion to Wednesday polling, the closing hour of the poll is extended in all cases to 7 p.m. The Hon. W. E. Parry, who is in charge of the bill, said it was a simple one.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland asked if the municipal association agreed with the provisions. Mr Parry replied he did not think there would be much disagreement. He had received many representations on the matters proposed in the bill. Opposition voices: Whom from?

Mr Parry: From various sections of the community. Mr K. J. Holyoake (Opposition, Pahiatua) said it was represented to him a fortnight ago by a local body that some such bill was pending and that it was the policy of the Government, to bustle through legislation. Local bodies would like to look at the bill. It seemed obvious that it had been jn stock for some time. Did the Minister intend to* send the bill t 6 the Local Bills Committee of the House and also to give local bodies ample opportunity to make representations?

The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) said that whether the bill would be sent to the committee would be considered. It was not a local bill. Local bodies associations, however, were entitled to the opportunity to study the bill and that should be possible, as it was not likely to come before the House until after October 2.