COSTLY ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1107, 21 April 1911, Page 2

COSTLY ELECTIONS.

FAEBOUR BOARD AND COUNTRY DISTRICTS. Remarking at the meeting of the Harbour Board on Wednesday that the number of nominations in the country districts entitled to representation upon the board made electious inevitable, Mr. Fletcher (chairman) said it struck him very . forcibly that these country elections were going to cost the board a great deal of money. The speaker had pointed out to the Minister during the passage of the Bill that, while ho was in favour of the system of election, the old system of delegation would be far preferable in this instance, in view of the expenso that would result from the alteration. However, Mr. Fletcher continued, they had to obey the law. He was confident that, in view of the heavy expense that would be incurred this year, a very strong effort would be made to Jilt'-i tho method ot election to the board in country districts. Mr. Cohen said he was afraid that the alteration in election procedure would result in very little interest being taken in tho election in country districts. Mr. Daniell said he had done everything possible in his district to arouse interest in tho election. Mr. Tcwsloy: It is only a matter of cost. It' will cost >£1000. Continuing, Mr. Daniell said it would not be difficult in his district to let the whole thing go by default. Mr. Fletcher said he believed in the principle of election. The whole thing had been done wrongly. It had been the intention of the Minister to introduce triennial elections of boroughs and harbour boards. Had this been done so that country, road board, borough, and harbour board elections would have been held on tho same day, the expense would have been minimised. This, however, had not been done. The principal cause of trouble would be the elections in tho counties. The old rolls would, 110 doubt, be taken as far as possible, but additions would have to be made. Booths would have to be provided in the countics for tho EaTbour Board election alone. 11l the boroughs the expense would not be so great, as tho municipal elections would coincide with the election of board members. Had the triennial election been universal, the whole trouble would have been minimised. Tho speaker had no doubt that thu experience of this year would result in suiticient pressure being brought to bear on tho powers that bo to induce them very speedily to alter tho methods of election. Tho Minister had told him that if tho electoral provisions ot tho Act did not work, it would bo altered.