LOCAL ELECTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21480, 2 May 1933, Page 11

LOCAL ELECTIONS

i| )LLINOT DAY TO-MORROW AYORALTY OF AUCKLAND IDE CHOICE FOR COUNCIL }RANGEMENTS FOR VOTING New governing bodies for the cities, oroughs, harbour boards and hospital oards throughout the Dominion will e chosen by the electors to-morrow, l-hen the biennial municipal polls will t j ic | c j > The incoming councils and Lards will hold office until 1935. f Re tumir-g officers in Auckland City |nd the suburban boroughs were busy Lggterdav preparing for the poll, and Li: be engaged to-day in making the Lai arrangements, so that the polling Laces will bo ready at tho opening lour of 9 a.m. to-morrow, f The largest task is that which falls L the lot of the city returning officer, Mr P. F. Notley, but his organisation Es complete to the' smallest detail. A total of 582 deputy-returning officers, Loll clerks and counters has been en- [ ed. Yesterday the deputy-return-ing officers received their authorities ! t0 act, together with their instructions as to the conduct of the poll, at tho same/time signing the required declaration relating to the secrecy of the balhot. Part of the work yesterday also [included the transporting of tho ballot boxes screens, furniture and ballot 'papers to the 43 polling places in the icity area, and this task will be completed to-day. Large Staff at Town Hall The smallest staffed polling place will be that at Welch's farm., Tamaki, n-here two men will be in attendance, while the largest will bo at tho Town Hall, where 39 men will be engaged, 23 during the polling and an adi ditional 16 from 7 p.m., when counting will be commenced. There are 43,712 voters on the roll for Auckland City, and as each is enI titled to record 31 votes a total of ! 1 355 072 votes would be recorded were they 'all to exercise their right. The ; staff of the returning officer therefore has to make provision for that number, although, in the light of previous experience, spread over a number of years, only about half that number of rotes'will be cast. The city voters have to deal with four ballot papers this year, namely, for Mayor, for members of the City Council, Harbour Board and Hospital Board. There are two candidates for the office of Mayor, 43 candidates for tho 21 seats on the City Council, eight for the four city seats on the Harbour Board, and 12 for the five city seats on the Hospital Board. Ihe number of candidates for the council exceeds the total of the aspirants of two years ago, when there were 35 candidates, while four years ago there were 67. Voting With a Cross For the purpose of the city election the method of voting which obtained up to and including the election of 1925 has been reverted to. Voters will be required to place a X opposite the names of the candidates for whom they wish to vote. In preparing the ballot papers a square space has been placed on the right-hand side of the name of each of the candidates, and at the foot of each paper there is a clear direction how votes are to be recorded.

This reads:—"The voter is to put a cross (5) in the square opposite, the name of the candidate or candidates for whom he desires to vote." While it is considered desirable that the electors should vote for 21 councillors, the fact that the votes are recorded for a fewer number will not invalidate the ballot-paper. In other words, "plumping 1 is pern issible. This is done by voting for as many candidates under the full quota as the elector desires. The polling places will be opened at 9 to-morrow and will be closed at i o clock in the evening. All voters are urged to §xercise their privilege and are asked to co-operate with the returning staff by voting as early as possible and by doing their best to ajoid the rush hours of mid-dav and u is ex Pected that the result of the city Mayoral election will be known shortly after 7.30 p.m. Progress results of the votes cast for canumates for the City Council, Harbour JJoard and Hospital Board should commence to come to hand early in the evening. /

A LIVELY MEETING Mr. stilwell at kingsland fire of interjections Intentions and a fire of questions he conclusion of his address made Ar! of Mr " W. F. Stilwell, ttJ, £ f M ? un fc Albert, :in the Jubilee i. Kingsland, the liveliest in the municipal election capipaign so far. ! e f ' a rge section of the audience pplaucled Mr. Stilwell, there was a P ro Portion of Labour supporters o showed their partisanship as loudly. A , an attendance of over 200. As the Mayor endeavoured to exP am the-method adopted in dischargg men he was interrupted by several « -J. e ai 'dience all shouting at once. _ f, ,- ou please keep vour largo ouch shut a little?" he asked one In*"+ * S L r ® ma ' provoked a short us of booing, which ceased when the chairman appealed for order. the statement has been made that o good will be done until tho control municipal government is obtained » 11® I Lnboi,r Party," said Mr. StilJ , sa J" that the borough's affairs shou.d not be subject to the whim " Politics. Jf we were to empty unemployed men, say, an Jerage of tliree-dav men, and had to P 3 them an additional 4s 6d a day, s is suggested by the Labour candidates, it would cost the borough £42,000 a year."

challenge that," said a Labour Wdidate, Mr. H. Barnes, who was Present at the back of the hall. " I prepared to debate it. and to show ?J' IC will not cost £20,000." - Ir. Sti!well then turned to the •Ibour proposal to suspend sinking fund WTnents. " If you wreck the sinking "ncJs, a receiver will come into the norough," he declared. " What will his duties be 5 '

A Voice: Fix the sewers. have a definitely proved ad'nistration which has kept the integitf of the borough intact in a time tl Ul l' )rGcef l 0,1 t e( l difficulty," continued ie Mayor. "On the other side we >!y>e a number of candidates, sonio of •Mr are n °k ratepayers." "hat about the rate-owers in the council now?" asked a man. •Mr. Stilwell: reputation is as G°"d as that of any man in the borough.

Iho Interjector: Are their rates paid? -Hr. Stilwell: Probably as much as J°"rs are. I . Mr. Barnes then asked Mr. Stilwell nli i? wm, ! tl Prepared to accept his allenge if the Labour Party obtained , nail. Mr. Stilwell replied that he " a .a arranged a meeting at Balmoral this evening. ",^ L> conclusion of the meeting Mr. 'dwell was accorded a vote of thanks.