Pahiatua Borough Elections

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 103, 2 May 1941, Page 2

Pahiatua Borough Elections

VERY LITTLE INTEREST SO EAR The public of Pahiatua have to date manifested little interest in the borough elections to be held on May 17. The main roll in 1938 consisted of 81electors, while the 1911 main roll contains 826 names. The supplementary roll for 1938 contained 176 names but the town clerk advises that only 51 applications have been made for enrolment to date. This is a very disappointing state of affairs, because all State tenants are included, and there can be no doubt that the population of the borough has increased very considerably since 1938. A perusal of the roll shows that husbands are on while their wives are not. Each elector has a definite duty in making sure that he or she is on the roll. Voting by declaration is always liable to provide disappointment and the obligation lies with the elector to ensure that he or she can exercise a vote. Over 1000 names should appear on the borough roll and if one were to canvass, at least another 200 names could be added with ease. All persons, male or female, married or single, so long as they are 21 years of age, and who have resided in the Dominion for one year and in the borough for the past three months, are entitled to enrolment. This matter concerns every citizen and they should call urgently at the borough office to satisfy themselves that they are not disfranchised. The Supplementary Krill closes on Saturday, May 3, and very little time is left.

So far as is known, there is only one nomination for the office of Mayor, and that is the sitting Mayor, Mr. S. K. Siddells, who has also been nominated as the borough representative on the Tararua Electric Power Board. All sitting councillors have signified their intentiou of contesting the election again, and their names are Messrs. W. T. Brown (deputy-Mayor), J. W. Sturton, W. A. Carthew, G. H. Hodd, S. J. Judd, T. W. Watts, W. H. Watson, J. Milne Allan and J. W. Greaves. It is understood that Mr. H. A Gardiner will be offering his services for the Borough Council, and a whisper is current that Mr. A. Mills will be doing likewise. An election seems certain, and it is pleasinß that younger men are taking an interest in borough affairs and offering their energetic services to the ratepayers. What is certain, is that the borough has been well served in the matter of councillors for the past three years, and judging from the calibre of the candidates offering and likely to offer themselves, the borough will be well served in the next three years. The advent of war has increased the duties and responsibilities of those who give up their time to local government, and the electors will have a very difficult duty imposed upon them to select those nine men best fitted for the job.