NO EXTENSION.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20540, 15 February 1935, Page 13

NO EXTENSION.

Franchise at Power Board Election. PARLIAMENT’S DECISION. “ Star ” Parliamentary Reporter. WELLINGTON. February 14. By an overwhelming majority the House to-day refused permission to Mr Mason (Auckland Suburbs) to introduce a Bill designed to change the franchise at the Auckland Power Board elections from a ratepayers’ to a municipal basis, thus widening considerably the field of electors, and including in it ratepayers whose rates are in arrears. Seeking the. suspension of the standing orders to enable the measure to be introduced, Mr Mason said the franchise provision in the Act which constituted the Auckland Power Board contained a grave anomaly, in that at elections for members of the board only ratepayers could vote. On the other hand the municipal franchise operated at elections of other power boards throughout New Zealand. Mr Forbes said he could not agree to the motion. The idea of proposing a radical change in the voting system at the present stage of the session was quite unreasonable “ A remarkable attitude has been adopted by the Prime Minister.” said Mr Savage. “He is willing to sacrifice every principle in support of Tory interests.” Mr Coates said it was unusual for the House to be asked to agree to alterations affecting the conduct of a local body before the authority itself had been consulted. The question of ratepayers who were debarred from voting because they were in arrears was a matter which the House might be asked to deal with before it rose. The board had been highly successful in its activi- ; ties and had paid its loan charges out lof revenue, and did not have to colI lect the rate it had levied. Mr,. Armstrong . (Christchurch East) i said if no rate had been collected by | the board he could not understand why ratepa3*ers were debarred from voting because they were in arrears with their rates to other local bodies. The Hon S. .G: Smith said it was dangerous to accept the motion without the fullest information from the local body concerned. In the opinion of Mr Jordan (Mann*kau) a man under the present ano- : malous position would require to sub- ; mit receipts for his grocery accounts l or hi s electric light accounts before he would be allowed to exercise his rights as a citizen and vote. On a diVision Mr Mason’s motion was negatived by 43 votes to 28. the Labour minority being strengthened by the votes of Independents.