HARBOUR ELECTIONS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13655, 25 July 1908, Page 5

HARBOUR ELECTIONS.

THE UNEQUAL FRANCHISE: . DISpIJSSEb'By THE %>AKIX In, his opening, remarks ,ajb' yesterday'smeeting of - the Harbour Board,; the chairman,, referred -to the <recent election.of;>»' member, for, the. Temuka ; Road. Distirct ; and> Borough,,, iand. tie difference in ;*£«-; ffranchise in the, two, sections ,of -the; .electorate,; He ..explained .that i a ; winkapaUtyj.th^i-.» much,.-wider, franchise than..'. a.v Road>. "jdisr. trjet, and so . far-the. arrangement waa; mora 'democratic....ln .the' :Road, district only, the ratepayer could the Borough his .wife,.also was an,elector. This was so inequitable .that ..it .should,:!)* amended,, arid the. country people, be. fgiyeni equal voting pqwers .with: townspeople^., Mr Orbell referred ,to. a £'2O,OOQ in; Timaru for which the owner,had pply one vote, while a man ..who .rente*!, only one room in,• the .building, and .his ' wife had each one vote, ■.'..> .-',-,. -,': -..•■■:.

The,, chairman. said tihe owner's wife, '3f; he, had a wife, would have,*,vote, tjoo. The, point was that in case of a vote, on a; loan,' ,the ratepayer and, his wife; /would both be able, to vote jn.the, boroughs*, but! only, the .ratepayer,.ouisjde. no; matter how small the, town propei%,;or how large thel other. The inequality..affected, both .elections and polls on;;loan?. ';.-. j ,' Mr Chisholm thought iihe man who,paid the piper, should, call the tune,.and it'jjrais, too bad that people who did; not have! to iind the money should have aiprepondeiiance of; the- voting-power., • ~ .->.,,.;-„ . Mr Armitage concurred with; the chairman -in his .suggestion r ;thatf, the, .vqt nig power should,be equalised..,: . .\ y .■ The chairman recommended .that ,ti clause be; prepared for i insertion ;in ■ the Harbours Bill, and the Board, approved $■ .this.- . •.'. ' .:';' 1 . -,•>..•:':.;:-.,.''.■:..(;.»•( 1-

At a later stage, Mr. Bowker, accordingly proposed, and Mr, Young seconded-—"That it;is the wish of Ihisißoard to extend, to the residents, of the district the same fran-: chise .thatf obtains in boroughs; that this matter be placed in the hands of tho Board's solicitor, and if; approved;- ibi«hall ; become aj.reniit for Beards Bill, npw ( under, consideration/' r.:'. :Y: ■'/.='; , iA .the .motion was very jii ; ;would; ; Jjb beWej; .to' make. it : more,, definite, 'plied: thatl. t)ie. splipitprs ; knewv;what.>,'wafs wanted,and Vouldv -.prepare, i.ao suitable clause.- ; -f. ..-;.,'..'.•■.•'■: ;.'.?..- *.'• Cwi..;''n

lb-.was also remarked, ttiatL there "was. litthy ge{i^ng..th^ :; •* chise.; and; thet.only alternative .was to widen Alva .country franchise, ;':' . ; '. iThe, jtiotiQn; wf<s pub ,iynd earriert,-Mr Thew- voting agauist<: ifc> i. ■• r. •': :;,::!.• •> x: ' 'lnr connection: with i the; foregoing -Ibvis ..

interesting, to'jioto tihat. on the Wellington Harbour Board passedsthejfplr lowing; resolution.: whereas; it -he* irig;;tlie intention;, of the,; Government.to, ~ remodel the, ,constitiitjp,n>, ..pf 0 1&e/Ba,rb6ii»» Boards. throughput,--the;; colony,, ; thjfc.tStfift therefore .-.being,::opportane ,t,hi a* board fl**' commends \,\\& Minister, jn phargeTpf-. the ; Bill to. ...consider,... ; the. idesirap}lisy f : of* jrfj; representative j pn ; Btarbonr , ,fi.o»rdß:T>eJrtg; elected by theipcopla on; : jthe basis .o£.\th?f J: ;,:-.• S 'v- J?;-