A RETURNING OFFICER CRIES "ENOUGH!"

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1071, 9 March 1911, Page 4

A RETURNING OFFICER CRIES "ENOUGH!"

SIDELIGHT ON ELECTIONS. (From Our Special Correspondent.! Palmerston N,, March 8. At the meeting of the Palmerston Borough Council last evening, the Town Clerk, who is also returning officer for the borough, tendered his resignation of the latter office. Tho reason which ho assigned for this step was that tho law now provides that tho returning officer shall undertake such multitudinous duties that it would be quite impossible for him to do tho work. The elections to take place hero on April 28 include polls for tho elections of the Mayor, borough councillors, a member of the Wellington Harbour Board, a member of the I'oston Harbour Board, and members of the Hospital nnd Charitable Aid Board. The area covered by the Wellington Board electoral district takos iii four or five counties—tho area being 91 miles long by 22 miles broad. Now tho returning officer will have to cover tho whole of this ground, and arrange for from ninety to ono hundred polling booths, with deputy returning officers and poll clerks, at an expense of at least .£3 per booth, so that it can easly be estimated that tho election for one member to the Harbour Hoard will rnn into about JCSOO. Under tho old system it did not cost moro than as many pence, because members of local bodies interested simply cast their votes. Tho amount which this election is going to cost tho general ratepayers will apparently bo simply so nnicli good money thrown away. The council tlccided to call for t applications for the position of returning offircr at a salary of ,too per annum and travelling expenses.