Mobile booths for poll

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32566, 27 March 1971, Page 3

Mobile booths for poll

(N.Z. Press Association) NELSON, March 26. Mobile polling booths tomorrow will have their first test in New Zealand since they were legalised by recent legislation. Two mobile units will be used by the Nelson City Council to cover six polling places in its by-election to fill three vacancies. There are 15 candidates.

The election is being held because of the resignation of two councillors and the disqualification of a third. The Town Clerk (Mr H. A. Levestam) said today he understood he would be the first returning officer in the country to take advantage of the legislation which authorised the use of mobile booths.

If the weather was fine tomorrow the poll clerks would set up their temporary booths in the open. If today’s light rain continued, shelter adjacent to the temporary polling sites would be used.

“Nobody will have to try to squeeze into a van to vote,” said Mr Levestam. A report on the use of the mobile booths would be prepared for the Municipal Association of New Zealand.

Fijian workers. —Eighty one Fijian workers have flown to New Zealand to work under an agreement between the Fiji and New Zealand Departments of Labour. All but two of the men will be employed by the Nassella Tussock Board for scrub-cutting. There are now 327 Fijians working under the agreement.—(P.A.).