WHAT TO DO?

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2432, 10 April 1915, Page 9

WHAT TO DO?

RETURNING OFFICER'S QUANDARY. The Ohief .Returning Officer for the Wellington Corporation, the Wellington Harbour Board, and the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board (Mr. James. Ames), admits that he is in a quandary as to how he ie to. find time for the performance of certain duties laid down in the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Act of 1913 (and which came into effect last year) in tho time specified by the Act. Mr. Ames states that according to the Municipal Corporations' Act the newly-eleoted Mayor has to be installed on the first Wednesday in May—a week after the election. "If I am to do all the work subsequent to the election that is set out in the Local Elections and Polls Act Amendment," Bays Mr. Ames, "it can't be done in the time specified.". "Last year," he continued, '-'there was only tlie election of the Mayor to look after, yet it took a large staff from the Thursday following the election to the Wednesday morning on which the Mayor was to be installed, to scrutinise the roles, and compare 'the marked copies from each of the booths (to detect plural voting) and count the papers. This time not only am I supposed to do that in connection with the election of the Mayor, but the same work- has to be done, and conscien-tiously.-done, in connection with the City Council, Harbour Board, and tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. I oannot depute others to do the work— I must do it with such assistance as I may deem necessary in the presence of scrutineers and the necessary time to do it is not considered in the Act." The clause providing for the complete recount of all papers reads as follows _ "10. (1) On completion of tie scrutiny hereinbefore directed the Returning Officer, with such assistance as he deems necessary, and in the presence of such scrutineers as are present, shall open all the packets of voting papers used at tho election other than the separate packet mentioued in sub-sec-tion two of the preceding section, and setting aside all informal papers,' shall aicertain the total number of votes received by each candidate at the election, and shall declare those candidates riot exceeding tho numbers of vacancies to be filled, who have, received the highest number of votes to be duly elected." Then follows instructions in detail as to what sins of omission or commission servo to invalidate a voting paper. "At present I can't 6ee how I am to got through in tile timo at my disposal. Tho law provides an impossible task for one man," said Mr. Ames in conclusion.