Local body poll reviews sought

Press, 31 May 1977, Page 10

Local body poll reviews sought

PA Oamaru The Government will be asked to review the poll provisions on amalgamations among local bodies.

The County Combined Wards 13 and 14 meeting at Oamaru decided to take this action, after discussion on the provision that 50 per cent of enrolled ratepayers must vote against an amalgamation plan before it can be rejected. The meeting had been asked to comment on the poll provisions by Mr J. H. Elworthy, the member of Parliament for Oamaru. The chairman of the Waikouaiti County (Mr J. Brown) said that the vote in opposition to his county’s amalgamation with Taieri was a vote against the unfairness of the provisions. Opponents to the scheme had concentrated on the unfairness, but had not provided arguments against the amalgamation, he said. Because of this, and because dead people sfill on the roll could vote, people voted in opposition to voice dislike for the legislation. Mr Brown said that an independent appeal authority should hear objections to an amalgamation scheme. The chairman of the Taieri

County (Mr A. L. Bain) said that the present poll position was just. “It is a situation controlled by a minority where the majority won’t vote; but if the people do not want it, they will vote against it,” he said. Many of those present felt that there should be a return to the common majority vote. Mr J. E. Treacey, the chairman of the Clutha County, said that the reason the Local Government Commission’s amalgamation of two counties and three boroughs had been thrown out was because the Government had “got people’s backs up.” Mr Elworhty said that the publicity generated before the Waikouaiti-Taieri poll had created a bad impression. The Waikouaiti county had been justified in making the decision for a non-postal vote, but it appeared to have been a bad one. The Government was loathe to interfere, but it would have to consider a compulsory postal ballot. There should have been a purging of the rolls, he said.

If the counties came to the Government with proposals to change the provisions for polls of this nature, the Government would be hard pressed not to accept them, Mr Elworthy said.