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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 74, 19 May 1944, Page 5

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NAMES ON COUNTY ROLLS MATATA RATEPAYERS COMPLAINT COUNCIL'S EXPLANATION That any complications which may have arisen with regard to the compilation of the County Rolls was directly due to the Government's action in leaving only one week in which County residents could take the necessary procedure. The. above was the text of the Whakatane County Council's resolution last week in answer to a letter o£ complaint from) two residents in Matata who asked or a reconsideration of their application to be put on the roll The council endorsed the action the County Clerk had taken.

The writers (Messrs D. BurgoyneThomas and G. H. Simpson) who had been notified that it was not legally possible to include their names in the roll owing to their application arriving too late :.,tated that if this had been through any omission on their behalf, the explanation would be; accepted, but the delay was caused by the omission, deliberate or otherwise of the counsil not having any enrolment forms available at the money-order office at Matata. It was stated that the writers applied at the moneyorder office Matata, on 17th April, for enrolment forms, oniy to be told that there were none to be had. The Postmistress advised that she had had a ring from the County Clerk who stated that lie; did not. think anyone in Matata would require forms, but for the "Postmistress tt» take, the names and addresses of any who did require them. This was done, and the writers were informed that that would be. alright.. On the 20th April forms were received from the County Office, were filled in immediately and despatched the following day as acknowledged. The council was asked to reconsider this case and failing a satisfactory reply, it was felt that the council's letter together with full particulars should be forwarded to the Member, Mr F. W. Doidge.

The Clerk said that there had been further criticism of the position in the local press l in which it was mentioned that he, the . Clerk, had excepted enrolment forms from County Councillors up to 8 a.m. on the 19th. It. was unusual for a clerk to answer a Press correspondent but in this case he was the only one who could answer the accusation. Lit untrue that lie had accepted eIITOTrrrCTTt" fo

County Councillor after 5 p.m. on the 19th. He had advised everyone that the forms' had to be returned not later than 5 p.m. on the 19th, but on the morning of the 20th very many forms were in the mail and

he had accepted enrolment forms bearing the post mark of the. 19th April. A conference ef local body officials in Auckland had decided on this procedure, He had followed out the procedure laid down by the Act and there Avas no mention in

i the Act of having forms available at post offices and country stores. The instructions, received from the Internal Affairs Department on the 12th April also made no mention of forms having to be made available at post offices and stores. The procedure laid down in the Act had been faithfully followed. Furthermore, County post offices were telephoned on the morning of Monday the 17th April and asked to telephone the names to him of any persons requiring forms. With the exception of Edgecumbe and Matata the enquiries for forms at post offices throughout the whole County at this time' were under fifteen. The chairman said that if the Government had broadcast such an announcement it was its OA\m responsibility to see that the "letails were carried out and the Government could ha\-e had forms printed and despatched to the post offices and then the post offices could have had the. forms as soon as the council receiA'ed its instructions from Wellington. The council printed its oavii forms. The Clerk explained that the forms had been made available to all who had asked for them. Many more were sent out to private organisations and residents than to any County Councillor. Except in tAVO instances no County Councillor requested that, forms be sent to him until the 17th April. To compile a register of ratepayer electors AA r as by law a two months' process, yet the Government allowed actually one week in A\ T hich the County Council Avas asked to enrol residents. This made it an impossible undertaking and in vicAV of the fact that a majority of county residents were not aAvare of riding boundaries t ( he impossibility of effecting the residential enrolment was intensified. The chairman: If there has been any disfranchisement it has been (Continued in n«xt eoiuinn)

due to the Government's haste to bring in the legislation. The legislation .should have been brought down, at the beginning of the session. Cr McCready said lie was in sympathy with those who were, not on the roll, bnt why blame the council or the clerk. It was obviously the Government's fault for not foreseeing the ehaotie effects of its haste. Those residents with a strong political bias should do something about it! The. chairman in moving the motion said that those who had been disfranchised had only the Government, to blame for the unreasonable shortness of time given in which to enroll.