VOTING PRIVILEGES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1213, 23 August 1911, Page 5

VOTING PRIVILEGES.

VIEWS AT COUNTIES' CONFERENCE. A few remarks disclosing, the feeling upon the matter were made yesterday* atihe Counties' Conference on the subject of county franchise. - » ' A remit, standing in the name of three counties, was moved as follows:— "That this conference protests ■ . against any alteration .of. the. county .' franchise'that wouldi'doprivo'ratepay-i ers of their present voting power or extend the franchise to non-ratepay- . ers." '.. .■;.».:■■.-"•• ■• .- -■■■■- ■• ■ •.;... . -, . Mr. _ J. 'W:- Foreman , (Clifton ; County Council,-' Taranaki) said it was unnecessary for him to enlarge upon this subject The county he represented felt that in spite of the "one man one vote" cry, they viewed very unfavourably any attempt whatever to introduce the principle into county affairs. (Hear, hear.) Mr. W. C. Dudley (Egmont) ■heartily supported the motion. He protested against the suggestion that a man without a shilling stake in a countv should have the same voting power as the owner of property, in. matters perhaps affecting that property. '..-.■•., _ Mr. A. D. M'Leod (Featherston) thought it would be as well for tho conference to also express its opinion on plural voting. Mr. Bolton (Pahiatua) said that on loans there should be plural voting, but on ordinary affairs there should be the sintde vote.' The motion was carried. Another brief discussion bearing on the question of voting arose out of the following proposal from Murchispn County:— "To amend the Counties Act so that no holder of a miners' right shall be entitled to become a county elector unless, he is also a ratepayer, or a bona-fidc miner." Mr. J. Rait ■ (Murchison's representative) pointed out that men holding mining interests had a vote as' ratepayers, but it was scarcely fair that miners possessing only mining rights should be able equally to sway elections concerning county affairs. Mr. T.'\W. Duff (Westland) upheld-tho. miners'. privileges in the respect mentioned. ' .

Mr. J. Horn (Vincent County) said his County, Council hdd instructed him to resist any alteration of the laiv in the direction sought. _ Tho fee a miner paid for his miner's right was an annual recurring fee, and entitled him to a' vote. " Mr. Rait, replying, said.that very often just prior to a county election! the rolls were "stuffed"—men who were not miners and their wives took out rights. The system sometimes induoed bribery.The motion, however, was'lost.

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