COUNTY ELECTIONS.

Waipa Post, Volume XVIII, Issue 1008, 19 October 1920, Page 5

COUNTY ELECTIONS.

REMOVAL OF AN ANOMALY. DISTRICT ELECTORS LIST. (By Telegraph—Special tb Post). WELLINGTON, Monday. A new provision of the Counties Act of importance to the ratepayers in the local governing districts is that the recurring elections of councillors are to take place in May instead of November as hitherto. In this connection the district electors list is to be made up on or before 22nd January preceding. In the past some doubt has existed in the minds of the local body officials as to their authority to revise the rolls as properties change hands in the period between the preparation of the Government rolls and the time of closing the roll for the election. Some of the officers have held strictly to the Government revision on the 31st March in each year and the result has been disfranchisement of all who have taken up properties in the period between that date and the date of the election. This, while applying to the election oi councillors is also applicable to the loan authority polls.

When the Bill was before Parliament last Thursday, Mr F. F. Hockly M.P. (Rotorua) asked the Government to define clearly the right of the local body official to make necessary revision on duly authenticated information. He pointed out that the experience of the past has shown that in countless instances people who are legally responsible for the payment of rates are not eligible to exercise their votes at local body polls or elections until the revision of -the rolls by the Government at the end of the financial year next following their purchase of the\properties. This was an anomaly which ought to be removed. i

The Minister in charge of -the Bill (Hon. Mr Anderson) promised to look carefully into this question and to make the necessary provision if enquiry warranted it.