ELECTION EXPENSES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18370, 1 May 1925, Page 9

ELECTION EXPENSES.

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WCTO eight officers in each polling booth yesterdays-four B<*turfting Officers and, four clerks. The elector's name was found by the first one, his roll marked and name or number called out to, the three others, who each solemnly marked their roll accordingly. The dased elector then had to march along past these eight officials and collect his four voting papers frem every second man. I am satisfied tho work could be well done by five at least, perhaps less —one roll only to be marked. J. venture to aay that the comparison of rolls which the Returning Officer will have to make will bo almost farcical. Owing to mistakes on the' part of one or mow of the four clerks-at oach booth, thero will be many cases of apparent duplicate voting. If the Returning Officer carries out the law property ha will have to open up tho sealed part of the voting papers, find tho numbers which the .toll cheek shows as duplicates, and disallow both voters He is given no option. Tho secrecy of the ballot is endangered, and voters are wrongfully disfranchised. This could only be altered by Statute, Regulations hs to maehineiy details can, however, be altered without Parliamentary authority,, and I am surprised that the local authorities should not havo obtained'this. They know that every two years they have to conduct at least four polls simultaneously— Mayor; councillors, Harbour Board, and Hospital Board, and sometimes a loan poll" in addition. Three officers at least could have been saved yesterday, which would have meant a saving of about £3OO, perhaps more.—Yours, etc., DEPUTY. April 30th.