"A RETROGRADE STEP."
There was considerable debate* in the House of Representatives last night on one provision of the Auckland Electric Power Board Bill. The Bill constitutes a power-board district, comprising; Auckland City, Onehunga, Otahuhu, Mount Albert, Mount Eden, Newmarket boroughs ; One Tree Hill and Mount Roskill road district; Ellerslie, Papakura, Papatoetoe, and Manurewa town districts and Manukau County. The particular clause which provoked the discussion was that providing that the board should be elected by the ratepayers of the district. To this Liberal and Labour members took strong exception, holding that it was a retrograde step, especially since the Power Boards Act had given a more liberal franchise. A protest was entered against what was termed the proposed disfranchisement of many electors who were vitally interested in the generation and use of electric power. Mr. J. S. Dickson (Parnell), who was in charge of the Bill, said that Auckland was quite ready to accept the household franchise, but the smaller country local bodies were opposed on the ground that they would thus be swamped in an election. After much debate the clause was retained by 30 votes to 18. A similar division in the Legislative Council «»w the clause retained by 15 to 3.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19211222.2.111
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 150, 22 December 1921, Page 8
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205"A RETROGRADE STEP." Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 150, 22 December 1921, Page 8
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