RANGITIKEI COUNTY PROTESTS AT CHANGE IN ELECTIONS ACT

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 October 1946, Page 4

RANGITIKEI COUNTY PROTESTS AT CHANGE IN ELECTIONS ACT

Protesting at the proposed Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill, the Rangitikei County Council, at its monthly meeting in Marton yesterday, carried a resolution urging that no change be made in the present system. This was moved by Cr. A. S. Coleman (Cliff Road), seconded by Cr. G. L. Marshall (Turakina). It was also decided that the council’s reasons for this objection be placed before Mr E. B. Gordon, M.P. for Rangitikei.

Under the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill, if it became law, county and municipal triennial elections will be held in November, instead of May, polling hours will be extended to 7 p.m., and any person whose name appears on a Parliamentary electoral toll will be entitled to vote, irrespective of whether he is on the local body roll. After a circular had been received from the Hawke’s Bay County Council, setting out in detail its reasons for protesting at the change, the Rangitikei County held that the present system of electing councillors should remain unchanged. The county clerk, Mr. F. L. Nicol, said that the use of electoral rolls

would create complications. The Rangilikei County covered such a wide area that several electorates and town boards came into it.

Councillors were elected to represent various ridings and another difficulty would arise because in some cases one road ran through three different. tidings. “How can a returning officer determine from the electoral roll which riding a man lives in? ’ the county clerk asked.

Some of the outback polling booths were in schools and halls not equipped with electric power. Later closing of booths might mean that deputy returning officers would be required to count votes by candle light. This may not be satisfactoi y. Earlier in the meeting, after the circular from the Hawke's Bay County Council had been referred to, Cr. Marshall said he did not know the reason lor a change in election procedure. The chairman, Cr. K. W. Dalrymple: I know why. Similar proposals have come belore the New Zealand Counties’ Association conference in other years, but have never been agreed io. County clerks had pressed for a change in the election date became they wore very busy during the early part of the year with rates and estimates the chairman added. “I don’t favour November because it is a busy month for farmers," said Cr. Coleman. Polls were poor in May and would be even worse in November. On the motion of Cr. Coleman, seconded by Cr. Marshall, the council also decided to protest at the proposed change. Cr. W. Doole (Taihape) commented, however, that up till 1920, the elections were always hold in November. This motion was carried. Cr. Doole dissenting.