POLLING BOOTHS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14416, 11 April 1911, Page 4

POLLING BOOTHS.

We cannot see that the Mayor was justified in using the extreme language which lie did Inst night in reference, to Councillor Anglaud's motion recommending tiie Returning Officer to provide, a polling booth on or near the water front for the convenience of workers'in the graiii" and wool stores and on the wharves, j We aro nt a loss to sec liow such a recommendation could properly he construed as " interference. " with the Returning, Officer. It js.snrflly the ohjeet of the Jaw and of the Council- to provide "the utmost, facilities so that every individual entitled to a vote shall have the. opportunity to-record it,- and considering that-.the petition for this polling liooth was'signed by 150 workers, it is obviimsi that some of these must anticipate; a difficulty in recording their/'votes if provision is not made for them to do so near the wharves. If, as it is said is probable, there will be two Home boats in 'port on election day, such difficulty may easily arise. If' a suggestion -, had been hinted that ,n, polling booth should not he erected at any particular spot, there!" niight have been some reason for the Mayor's remarks about " introducing a form of Tammanyism/' but in view of the very harmless suggesI ion which w;\s made they seem to us to have been altogether exaggerated and inappropriate. The fact that this polling booth has not been asked for in connection with the prior poll.to be taken on the loan proposals does not show that it may not be needed for the election poll, by men who, not being ratepayers, possess no right of voting at the former .