INABILITY TO PAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 99, 28 April 1932, Page 9

INABILITY TO PAY

COUNTY RATEPAYERS

FRANCHISE RIGHTS

RESTORATION GRANTED

The Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill, introduced in tho House of Representatives last night and'passed through all its stages, removes tho Restriction on county ratepayers who "have defaulted in the payment of their ■rates seeking election to county councils. The Bill is to be deemed to have come into operation on Ist April last, and it is to remain in force until 30th .September, 1933. Another slause provides that the- election of n council in 'the Matakaoa County is not to take <place on the second Wednesday of nest .month, but that councillors at present holding office are to remain in office as if they were elected in the ordinary way. ,

In moving the second reading, the of Internal Affairs (the Hon. A. Hamilton) said that several local bodies had urged that the local elections should lie postponed this year, but the Government, had not considered this desirable, neither had it been recom;mended by the" Counties Conference. • However, there had "been a request by farmers and others that those who were unable to pay tlibir rates should not be disfranchised. It was recognised that iriany ratepayers had defaulted through no fault of their own, and the provisions of the Bill applied to the elections for county councils, electric power •boards, drainage boards, and persons who might be elected to hospital and ■ harbour boards by county councils. • Mr. F. Langstone (Labour, Waima'rino): "Why not give them, the same Jfranchise as tho boroughs?" v; ■ Mr. Hamilton said that would mean 'an alteration in the system of franchise, and no such alteration was proposed in the Bill. The county elections took place on 11th May, but as • -the '.nominations closed on 27th April there, .was a need for urgency for the .measure. The Bill would expire in ,1933. The Matakaoa county was in a .difficult positon. It had a large overdraft with the bank and sundry debtors , amounting to £15,000. The -overdue .rates amounted to £11,000, - and- the .county..' wa3 , riot able to collect them (at present. Unless it was assisted, the ; county w^ould1 not, be .able to meet the interest on^an overseas loan. '

Mr. H. G. E. Mason ■■ (Labour, Auckland Suburbs) said that some difficulties were likely to arise as a result of leaving the legislation'so latel There: ,'were a number of county ratepayers ■who might have been^1 nominated for ■office had the-legislation been passed earlier. The date for the closing of .nominations should be postponed 'for a, .day or'so.- 'Mr. Mason, asked.1 if thel ■ Minister was considering indemnifying ;local bodies which exceeded their over- ■ draft rights. ■ : ; NATIVE BATES. V j Mr. K. S. Williams (Government, Bay of. Plenty) thanked the Minister for <what had been done for the Matakaoa County. One of the troubles of the county was the "non-payment of Native rates; It was the 'wish of the rate--payers^hat the present county council; should^carry. on. . ' - ,

1 The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. H. 'E. Holland): "Is there any objection to the postponement of the elections?"

; Mr..Williams: "Not that I know of." He said it was desirable that the question of- Native rates should be cleared ■up, and he wished that the-Native Minister would show more alacrity in3paying his rates.

Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour, Central) said members of the House ■were being' asked to endorse a very dangerous principle, and he hoped it would not.be taken as a precedent for the extension of the life; of other institutions.' /(Laughter.) It might happen that a county council was anxious to hold on to office and'the House might be asked to rush a Bill through to enable it to do so.

Mr. A. E. Juli (Government, Waipawa) said the number of people who ■would be prejudiced ! by the late passing .of the Bill would be very small.- There was a general desire.that county ratepayers should be given more latitude in the difficult times through which they were passing. He did not think there would be any rush of candidates for office in the Matakaoa County. The-Leader of the Opposition said that it was a little unfortunate that two principles were mixed up in the Bill, and Jie. deplored the delay in bringing down the first proposal. He maintained-that the counties should be placed on the same footing as boroughs as far as their elections were concerned. Everyone had a natural disinclination to sec an election postponed, and it was unfortunate that the legislation should have been delayed so. long. He had an utter distaste for the postponement of the election of any local body.. He had seen cases of this kind in Australia, and recognised the difficulty of the itakataoa County, but perhaps the Minister of Finance could have helped .the county to fiold its eleetiqn/ • " - HEUPPUL COMPEOMISES. : The Minister of Native Affairs (the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata) said that although the compromises over Native rates might not have proved successful they had been very helpful; to a 'number of county councils in the North: Island and had saved them many thousands of pounds. He did not wish to defend the Maori ratepayers in the Matakaoa County, except to say that the Native ratepayers were getting a seryiee usually given to people who did not - pay their rates. There were few local bodies'- which ■ would go to the trouble of putting a road through a Native' area.' Sir Apirana. said he fully acknowledged that he was a defaulter so;far as fates were concerned. ;

Mr. B. - Semple (Labour, Wellington East): "Why?"' > c

• Sir Apiiana: "Simply" on account of sheer inability, to keep up the payments.'^: ■ ■ ■■.■.■■ ■ :

■The Bill/was^passed.