MILK COUNCIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22005, 11 January 1935, Page 11

MILK COUNCIL

ELECTION OF MEMBEES FIRST POLL NEXT MONTH. COMPLICATED PROCEDURE The first election for the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council will be held on February 26. When this council came into being last year the members were appointed by Order-in-Council for the first year. Although the general public will hardly have a voice in next month's election, the ballot will be one of the most involved ever held for a local body in Auckland. The council, as at present constituted, consists of three representatives of the Auckland City Council and two of suburban local bodies within the area, representing the consumers, two representatives of producers, and two representatives of vendors. In effect, four separate elections will be necessary next month.

A special meeting of the City Council will be held on the day of the poll for the purpose of electing that body's three representatives on the Milk Council. In the case of the suburban local bodies, each has the right to nominate one member. Nominations will close toward the middle of February and the ' election will be conducted by Mr. N. R. Chapman, secretary of the Milk Council, as returning officer. Each local body is allowed one vote for every thousand of the population of its district. The actual voting will be done by the local bodies, and not by the people themselves Producers and Vendors Other conditions apply to the election of representatives of producers and vendors, which will be done |)y postal ballot. A dairyman, or producer, is nob entitled to vote unless he carries on business within a radius of 15 miles from the chief post office and unless he produced for town supply during last June, July and August a minimum daily average of 10 gallons of milk. He receives one vote if he produced from 10 to 50 gallons a day, and a further vote for every additional. 60 gallons. The electors' roll for dairymen has been prepared and, as z. result of the conditions laid down by the Act, it contains only 237 names out of a total of over 500 licensed dairymen. Similar restrictions apply in the compilation of the electoral roll for vendors. They are qualified to vote only if their average sales during last June, July and August exceeded 10 gallons daily. The provision for extra votes is the same as thaffor dairymen. The roll prepared to date shows the names of 172 vendors entitled to vote, out of a total of 314 licensed vendors in the council's area. Bolls Open For Inspection Nominations of candidates for election as representatives of producers and vendors will be accepted at the offices of the council from February 12 and will close on February 16. Some time after the closing of nominations ballot papers will be distributed to those entitled to vote, and it will be stipulated that these must be returned' to the council's offices before a stated time on FeUfuary 26. The results of the poll wtfl probably be announced that evening. The electors' rolls for dairymen and vendors are at present open for inspection at the council's offices and objections against the qualifications of voters may be lodged with the council before January 31. A point laid down in the Act and followed in the compilation of the rolls is that a man in business as 3 producer-vendor can vote only as a producer or as a vendor, but not in both capacities. There is a possibility that a new constitution for the Milk Council may be framed in the, near future. A Parliamentary committee recommended to the House last session the reconstitution of the council to provide for a membership of six, two being elected by Auckland City voters, two by suburban voters and two by producers. The council itself is desirous of promoting legislation to amend the present Act and to remove numerous anomalies that have been found to exist. It is hoped to have this legislation introduced during the coming short session, but, if an alteration in constitution is decided on, it may affect the life of the council to be elected next month. Under the present Act #}(&# members will hold office for a term! of two years.