MACHINERY LOAN POLL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4638, 14 December 1923, Page 2

MACHINERY LOAN POLL.

TURNED DOWN BY RATEPAYERS. SMALL INTBREST TAKEN. A poll of the ratepayers of a special rating area of the Hauraki Plains county on a proposal to borrow £25,009 for the acquisition of road-making machinery, quarry equipment, and metal transporting plant was held on Wednesday last, an! resulted in 158 votes being cast for the proposal and 116 against. As a three-fifths majority was required, the proposal was not carried. Details of the polling at the various booths are as follows:—

As there were about 500 names on the roll,, and every person had either one, two, or three votes, the polling was remarkably light. Whether this was due to apathy on the part of ratepayers or to the fact that so many were too busy hay-making is not known, but it is remarkable that so Uttle interest'whs taken, considering the vital importance of good roads to the district and the fact that in most of the area road loans, for which the machinery will be required, have been approved of or are under consideration. Especially is this noticeable in the case of Horahia, where the reading loan poll, held the same day, received 13 votes more than the machinery loan.

For Against. Orongo 5 0 Kopuarahi 32 2 Horahia 42 30 Turua 16 15 Troughton’s 4' 5 Kerepeehi 3 8 Netherton 17 28 Simpson’s 4 0 Ngatea 23 11 Pipiroa 12 17 '«■— '■ — 168 116