COUNTY ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 145, 15 March 1932, Page 8

COUNTY ELECTIONS

Use of Schools Refused WHANGAREI DIFFICULTY Dominion Special Service. Auckland, March 12. In view of the county council elections next May, the clerk of the Whangarei County Council applied to the Auckland Education Board for permission to use the schools in the county on polling day as had been done in the past. This permission was refused, and in consequence the clerk forwarded a further request to the Minister of Education, who has replied that in view of the disadvantage to the children Involved by the closing of the schools on that day the objection of the Auckland Education Board was upheld. He advised the council to use the school shelter sheds as suggested by the Education Board if there were no other suitable places. Mr. F. Elliott, a member of the Whangarei County Council, said the decision made the position very difficult for the county. He considered there was no hardship to the children and that the electors should be entitled to privacy when voting. The county clerk, Mr. H. C. Hemphill, said he bad tried shelter sheds in the past and they were most unsuitable, owing to wind disturbing the papers. He suggested the only way out of tbe difficulty in several cases was to reduce the number of polling places in the country districts. After conferring with riding members the clerk stated he hoped to make arrangements which would not cause interference to voters.