THE DAY AFTER

Evening Star, Issue 22955, 12 May 1938, Page 12

THE DAY AFTER

CAMPAIGN OVER BUT OFFICIALS STILL COUNTING VOTES PROCEDURE EXPLAINED The atmosphere in the City of Dunedin had this morning lost most of the electric element which has been so conspicuous during tho progress of the municipal election campaign. The result of the poll is, of course, being discussed fully and commented upon in terms according with the political views of those’commenting. So far as fan be gathered from these discussions and comments, the Labour reverse may be set down as the result of the somewhat extreme measures adopted by that party on party lines, and to the attempts at dictatorship which were made in some quarters. New Zealanders, and particularly Dunedin citizens, says the man in the street, do not take kindly to dictatorships, especially when these are imposed on party lines. Be that as it may, the citizens are going about their business as usual to-day; those of the one “colour” with that “ something attempted, something done” feeling of satisfaction, while those holding opposing views arc reasoning out the situation without losing faith in their views or confidence in ultimate success. New councillors are doubtless already mapping out lines of action, while the defeated are “ licking their wounds ” and either resigning themselves to the inevitable or planning for recovery. SCRUTINY AND RECOUNT. At the Town Hall, however, there is a scene of activity in which the returning officer (Mr R. A. Johnston) and his big staff are involved. First thing this morning the scrutiny of the rolls was begun. There are 25 men engaged on this alone. Every one of the rolls used by the poll clerks yesterday has to be compared with the rest in order to ascertain whether any person has, contrary to law, voted more than once. Simultaneously with this work the recounting of the papers in the poll for mayor is (proceeding. The recount on all live issues decided yesterday will go on night and day until completed. It is impossible to say at the moment, says Mr Johnston, when the work will be finished, but it will certainly not be for a few days. There are the votes by declaration to be examined, and the ease of each voter in this class given thorough consideration on the facts disclosed. It is the duty of the returning officer to allow or disallow these votes according to his determination on these facts. MAYORAL INSTALLATION. It may be added that the mayor is not actually elected until the recount in connection with the voting on. that particular issue is completed. Arrangements will be made, however, for the formal ceremony, which will be in public, of installation on Wednesday of next week. On that occasion the retiring mayor will deliver a valedictory address and install his successor. The ffiew mayor will then take his seat and receive the congratulations of the council. It is usual, -too, for a motion to be ' passed expressing appreciation of the services of past councillors.. The new council, will . then probably meet to appoint ’ standing committees and the chairmen of those committees. At one or other of these meetings it is customary to fix the remuneration to be received by the mayor. INVALID VOTERS. As an indication of how thoroughly both sides combed the electorate yesterday it is reported that an extraordinarily large number of invalid and semi-invalid voters were brought to the poll, many of them requiring assistance into the booths. Again, a considerable number who were unable, owing to blindness or other physical infirmity and for other reasons to mark their papers, were given the assistance permissable under tho regulations. In these cases the deputy returning officer on duty at the booth marks the paper for the elector while a scrutineer supervises the operation as a double check that all is done in proper order and to make it impossible for any undue influence to be brought to bear. Occasionally a voter in this diass remarked: “I want to vote the Labour ticket” or “I want to vote for the Citizens’ ticket,” as the case might be; but the deputy returning officer in, his official capacity knows nothing of “ tickets.” He reads the names from the ballot paper and marks them according to the “ Yes ” or “No ” of the voter. POLLING PASSED SMOOTHLY. The polling went off very smoothly indeed. There werq the usual little arguments—all one-sided, of course, for the officials were well versed in the regulations—concerning the omission of names from the roll. Many brought cards showing that they were registered l on the parliamentary roll,, not realising that enrolment for the municipal election was a separate matter and one for . which the elector himself was responsible. Enrolment on the municipal roll is not compulsory. Another matter which caused some little confusion because of the would-be voters’ failure to ascertain the position was that of ratepayer’s who had previously been registered under tho qualification of property owners, but who had since sdld their properties and automatically lost that qualification. Those people were all duly notified and asked if they possessed any other qualification under which they might he enrolled. Those who neglected to reply had been left off. In some of these cases, and in others in which possible hardship was' involved, voting by declaration was permissible, but, as explained, it remains with the returning officer to say whether the votes will be ultimately allowed. To conduct such a large poll, involving as it did the taking of a record number of votes, with such smoothness is a matter upon which all concerned, from the returning officer to the junior clerks, are to be commended.