Flaws in City Electoral System

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 43, 13 May 1927, Page 1

Flaws in City Electoral System

CR. MELVILLE ADVOCATES SECTIONAL RETIREMENT retirement of councillors is strongly advocated as be-'— than the present electoral system According to a report submitted to the City Council last evening by the returning officer, the official figures in connection with the recent elections showed the following percetnage of informal votes.—Mayoral, 1.17; Harbour Board. 6.75: Hospital Board. 11.01; City Council, 15.53. The returning officer stated that in all 491,446 votes were counted. The new style of voting paper with counterfoils cost 25 per cent. more per 1,000 papers DIVISION INTO WARDS The huge number of informal votes, -and the large number of candidates were largely responsible for Cr. Ellen Melville moving that the Legal and By-laws Committee be asked to report to the council on the desirability of dividing Auckland into three or more wards (for the purpose of representation only), or alternatively the desirability of half the council retiring in rotation every two years. Cr. Melville said there was power to divide the city into wards now. without any new legislation. It was impossible for all citizens to vote, for 21 on a ballot paper of 61 correctly under the present system, or to know all the candidates. If there was any fear of one ward being up against another it was entirely overweighed by prospective increase in activity and interest. She was of opinion that the alteration to the ward system would maintain the individuality of areas, and encourage the greater Auckland movement. No question of finance was involved. SUGGESTION SUPPORTED Perhaps the second suggestion of half the council retiring was the better, continued Cr. Melville. (Hear, hear.) This would mean an amendment to legislation. Cr. J. A. C. Allum supported the motion, not because he agreed with it, but because he thought the matter required attention. He thought the second portion was good, the first being good theoretically but not successful In practice.

Cr. Eady was inclined to favour a suggestion that councillors should retire a third at a time, once each year. This gave citizens a chance to express an opinion on matters concerning them. The trend was quite against such systems as the ward system. The whole question was referred to the committee nominated for report.