RETURNING OFFICERS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 313, 18 July 1879, Page 2

RETURNING OFFICERS.

*. .-4To the Editor of the Akaroa Mail. '•* Sib, —During the calm that precedes'tbe y storm of the coming elections, I, with many other electors, think this a proper time to draw the attention of public bodies to the question of Returning Officers under " The Regulation of Local Elections Act,-* 1876." The Act in question contains a provision that every local body to which the Act applies shall appoint a Returning Officer, who shall hold office, until his removal, resignation, incapacity, or death," and a further provision is made that such officer shall not be a member of the local body, the Legislature evidently intending that the officer in question should be a person quite beyond the control and influence of the local bodies, and that he should be a permanent officer—not appointed on the eve o£ an election, -when it"** is just probable that the choice of the Returning Officer might influence the result of an election. These officers have , large powers entrusted to them, and cate duties to perform, and it is on the" face of it manifestly unfair to ask the employees of local bodies to act in the capacity of Returning Officers. Town Clerks and Road Board Clerks are, we know, appointed to the position sometimes from motives of economy, but it is really putting these gentlemen in a false position** to ask them to give—what is not unlikely to happen in small constituencies—a cast-. ing vote, as provided by the Act, as,to to whom they would have for. masters, anqL. everyone who knows anything about elections knows the many little manceuvres that are resorted to at election times to secure the return of the wished for candidate. In saying this I am only saying that Officers of public bodies are human beings, with notions and feelings of their own. Another question is the fitness these gentlemen for the office. Hardly an election occurs without some technical omission or commission which would invalidate the election. Instances of this might be multiplied. Difficulties canba* put in the way of nominations.being received, clocks may' be tampered "with, candidates have been allowed to nominate by proxy, wrong rolls have been used, and all sorts of irregularities have taken place. The County Council have no Returning Officer. Tom, Dick, or Harry are picked up immediately before an election, and - rush to the polling booth with the'erudest possible- notion* of their duties, and I have* little doubt but that tbe method of conducting the last; general election of that august body, had the question been tested, wonld have been found to be illegal. The two local Road Boards who have the provisions of the Act get their respective Clerks to conduct their elections, but it is doubtful if their appointments como up to. the requirements of, the Act, but in r any case their numerous other duties must interfere with election engagements. The present Town Clerk,! am sure, would be glad to be relieved of his invidious duties as Returning Officer for the that is if he ever was legally appointed, - which I do not remember ever seeing notified. In common with many electors, I would like to see this matter taken up bythe local bodies before the election season _ sets in. Yours, &c, AN ELISCTOB.