MUNICIPAL FRANCHISE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 97, 24 March 1941, Page 6

MUNICIPAL FRANCHISE

There is one section of the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill, now before the House of Representatives, which will not be allowed to pass unchallenged. This is the rating qualification given to tenants of State' houses. It means that once the Bill becomes law State tenants will be qualified to vote on loan and rating proposals, a right at present enjoyed by direct payers of rates. As explained by the Minister of Internal Affairs when recently mentioning the proposed amendment, the position is that the Government, while paying rates on its properties, has no vote, whereas private owners enjoy the privilege. The rates, however, were reflected in the rents charged, and the tenant, in Mr Parry's opinion, was to all intents and purposes a ratepayer. If that is correct of a State tenant, should it not also be applicable to tenants of private houses ? The Government, however, has no intention of making the law apply to the latter group who pay rent', and therefore the tenants of State houses are to be placed in a privileged position. It will be agreed with the Prime Minister that the Government should not become involved in local politics, but the fact cannot escape attention that in many localities a large number of voters who are not ratepayers will be added to local rolls, and they may well be sufficient to turn the scale at a closelv contested poll, while at the same time they are not compelled to find yearly the money levied on property owners for borough or city administration. It is hard to find justification for. this amendment, for State tenants are surely not entitled to a status not enjoyed by others who pay rent.