USE OF SCHOOLS REFUSED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21130, 12 March 1932, Page 12

USE OF SCHOOLS REFUSED.

COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS. DIFFICULTY AT WHANGAREI. [BX TELEGRArH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WHANGAREI, Friday. In view of tho County Council elections next May, the clerk of the Whangarei County Council applied to tho Auckland Education Board for permission to use the schools in the county on polling day as has been done in the past. This permission was refused, and in consequence tho clerk forwarded a further request to the Minister of Education, who has replied that in view of the disadvantage to tho children involved by tho closing of the schools on that day tllo objection of the Auckland Education Board was upheld. He advised tho council to use the school shelter sheds as suggested by the Education Board if there were no other suitable places. Mr. F. Elliott said the decision made the position very difficult for the county. He considered there was no hardship to the children and that tho electors should be entitled to privacy when voting. The county clerk, Mr. H. C. Hemphill, said he had tried shelter sheds in tho past and they were most unsuitable, owing to wind disturbing the papers. Ho suggested the only way out of the difficulty in several cases was to reduce tho number of polling places in the country districts. After conferring with riding members the clerk stated he hoped to make arrangements which would not cause interference to voters.