COUNTY RATEPAYERS

Southland Times, Issue 21661, 24 March 1932, Page 7

COUNTY RATEPAYERS

VOTING AT ELECTIONS. ARREARS NOT TO MEAN DISQUALIFICATION. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, March 23. The Government has decided to introduce legislation during the present emergency session temporarily suspending section 57 of the Counties Act which debars county ratepayers who are in arrears with their rates voting at county elections. The Minister of Internal Affairs stated that it is the intention of the Government to bring down legislation easing the position to some extent. He had received quite a lot of representations on this subject. The Government desired to weigh the balance as evenly as possible between County Councils who naturally desired the rates paid, and the county ratepayer who wished to pay his rates, but at the present time had not the ready money to do so. For that reason, Cabinet had decided to give legislative effect to the request of the executive committee of the Counties Association that disqualification shall not apply to any ratepayer who was not more than two years’ rates in arrear. The Minister added that the concession would be temporary and would apply to electric power district ratepayers and others affected by the disqualification provisions. *