THE SANDON RAILWAY VOTE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 11, 30 September 1879, Page 2

THE SANDON RAILWAY VOTE.

By the courtesy of Mr J. W. G-ower, Presiding Officer for the Saudou Railway vote, we are enabled to lay particulars of the polling before our readers. The following table will furnish the information : — No. Rateable value Votes-consent • • 262 £22,235 7 0 Votes— refuse - -11 1,940 0 0 Informal votes — consent 8 40(J 11 0 Votes not polled - 192 4,358 4 0 Total - - 473 £28.931 2 0 From tho above figures, it will be seen that the total number of voters in the railway district is 473, of whom only 281 rofced, the remaining 102 not having expressed themselves either way. A great number of the non-voters tfere doubtless absentees, but it is highly satisfactory to know that the objectors are so small a proportion of those who voted. We may reasonably expect that had the non-voters polled, the proportion of objectors to consentors woull have remained tho same. It may be remarked that the Act makes no provision whatever for absentee or unrecorded votes. It says:— "lE ratepiyers and owners of property representing twothirds or more of the value of the rateable property in the proposed district shall consent to the construction of tho proposed railway, thon the Governor may, if h« chink fit, declare his approval thereof." An actual consent must therefore be given by ratepayers representing two-thirds 6i the value of the rateable property in the railway district. Notwithstanding the large number of non voters, this limit has ;been exceeded. Even treating unrecorded and informal votes as refusals, and adding the respective a mounts: to the actual dissentient votes, the total rateable value against tho railway scheme would be only £6698 15s, against £-22,235 7s in xavor of it. Tho vote of Thursday last therefore excoeds by the sum of £2,945 19s the two-thirds ac tually required by law. Such a result can only to regarded as most satisfactory. It is to be regretted that so many persons neglected to register their votes, as the scheme might bean imperilled by such inaction, and been lost by default. However, " all's well that ends well." The settlors are, however, deeply indebted to both Messrs. Gower and Sanson for the energetic steps they took to secure rv* large a vote as possible. To them in a great measure is due the credit of having gained so large a vote over the required amount.