VOTING QUALIFICATIONS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 29 May 1935, Page 9

VOTING QUALIFICATIONS

HOSPITAL BOARD ELECTION TOAVN AND COUNTRY RATING The difference between the qualifications of country and town voters in hospital board elections was referred to at the Fanners’ Union Conference rtt Hawera yesterday. A remit submitted by the Lowgarth branch urging that qualifications should be equal was lost. Mr E. J. Betts (Okaiawa) presided and there was an attendance of over 50 delegates and branch members. Under the present system tlie borough had all the say, said Air A. C. Ricketts (Lowgarth). There was ample room to make amendment to the Act, said Mr J. S. Tosland (Opunake) in seconding the remit. Mr J. Cocker (Eltliam) said that it had to be remembered that by altering the qualification for hospital elections, the qualifications would also have to lie altered for county elections. This would be “a- dangerous procedure, as everyone would be on an equal footing and those not interested in the payment of the hospital rate would be entitled to vote. The trouble arose through the anomaly of combined districts, said Air W. A. Slient. The respective centres and boroughs should have been given representation according to the rates paid and then framed their own system of ratine.