CENTRAL POLLING BOOTHS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15906, 1 May 1915, Page 6

CENTRAL POLLING BOOTHS.

, The Borough of Takapuna is to be , congratulated on the further success > of its system of conducting an elec--1 tion. On Wednesday a polling booth ' for Takapuna was opened at the Chamber of Commerce in Swanson Street and the convenience thus afforded is fully proved by the fact that it was used by 460 voters, compared with a total of 508 at the two polling booths vithin the borough. A year ago this experiment was tried with signal success at the Mayoral election for Takapuna, when 517 votes were recorded at the city booth, compared with 527 votes cast at the booths on the other side of the harbour. Last year this convenience was established at the request of a number of electors, who fully realised the difficulty that always arises when voters engaged in the city all day have to record their votes at a distant booth within certain hours. The marked success of the experiment at once suggests the advisability of appointing a city booth for every suburban district. Many electors of every suburban borough would have gladly taken advantage of a city booth on Wednesday last had that facility been provided, for a large proportion of suburban voters are engaged in town all day, and many can only manage to reach a local booth before closing time under the best of circumstances, while a very slight delay means that they are disfranchised. Were booths for suburban constituencies opened in the city votes would bo recorded during, the day, with a minimum loss of time. The system of limiting the booths to tho confines of a constituency is an absurd relic of a bygone age, but in these days of trains, trams, and ferry-boats it is the exception rather than the rule for voters to,spend their days in the same constituency as they have placed their homes. Tho improved! method adopted by Takapuna is not only desirable for all suburban local bodies, but might be extended, to the metropolitan parliamentary electorates with equal advantage. Legislation would be necessary to permit the latter reform, for the present electoral law provides for all booths being within the constituency. That i could' easily be altered, with advantage to both electors and returning officers. All . suburban boroughs, and all road districts which lie within the suburban area, should arrange to have a booth near Queen Street, this being without doubt the most central and convenient place for a large proportion of their electors. When the Eleotoral Act is again being altered a clause should be -introduced permitting booths to be similarly established outside suburban constituencies. If this were once done the advantage of these booths in all largo centres would certainly .make the practice popular and permanent.