TRAMWAYS AND THE BALLOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11151, 25 August 1899, Page 3

TRAMWAYS AND THE BALLOT.

TO THE EDITOR. Replying to "Watchman," the bare majority ballot which he states would " place virtually in the hands of a few individuals the power to impose debts, in the shape of loans, by those who are probably neither ratepayer or property-owners." How, sir, can this be? The Act states distinctly that it is only ratepayers who can voto to raise leans. What, then, becomes of his argument? Under the intonded franchise the residential voter oauuot vote on loan questions, but he can help to veto concessions to be gnncul 'to private monopolies, which will touch his pockets more than any other class in the community, and fortunately tho residential voter is awaking, and his action will bo felt in the ballot-box when tho poll comes to be taken, on the question of private monopoly v. municipal ownership of tramways. My sympathies aro entirely with the peoplo on this question, and I was overjoyed to learn tliat the Premier has introduced a Bill entitled Local Government Voting Reform Act, which, if passed (as I sincerely hope it will be), does away with the anachronistical absurdity that all tho dead men, absentees, apathetio, lazy people on tho rolls, by merely staying away, can oppose a loan for supplying pure water or draining, or, as in tho case of the Tramways Act, 1894, wliere one-third of the voters on the roll are actually required to go to a poll to " forbid" the granting of a concession, however detrimental it may be to the interests of tho people. It is a very hard thing to get one-third of the voters to go to tho poll, notwithstanding that they are tho most active section of the oommunity, and therefore moro entitlod to have their way than tlio dead men, absentees, etc., above enumerated. This Bill of tlio Promier'B, if passed, will do away for ever with these absurdities and enable the majority of the active " whitemon" of tho citj to rulo in civio matters, and, if the balanco of the deadheads do not liko it, let them stir themselves to bo active membors of tho community, or j.i.y up their rates like men and look pleasant. Mr. Editor, you are no supporter of the Premier, but this is a much-needed reform, indeed, so please " give the devil his duo," and back up the Bill with your powerful pen, for remember Paruoll only got its drainage loan passed by tho pkiu of it« toeth, after a previous failure.—l am, etc., R. R. Hunt,