Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOV. 16, 1897. Defaulting Ratepayers.

Manawatu Herald, 16 November 1897, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOV. 16, 1897. Defaulting Ratepayers.

Whenever an election comes round there is always the usual anxiety shown by ratepayers to vote, however lax m»y have been their action in noticing the demand of the ratecollector. The original Municipal Corporations Act provided many opportunities for those parties who had overlooked the first demand to pay, to still do so and yet get their names upon the Burgess 8011, for a Burgess List is prepared by the Town Cli-ik by the 7th April in each year of aH ratepayers who have paid all rates on or before the 81st day of March previous. These lists are open for inspection and any persons whose names are on tho Defaulters' Lisf, paying their rates, can have their names placed on the Burgess Lift prior to fhe said List being signtd by the Council, which cannot b& done before the Ist or after the 16ih of May. The Act then states that afterwards no person who is on tho Defaulters' List can be put on the Burgess List for twelve months. The Burgess List contains thus only the names of those entitled to vote at any election, being those who are not in arrears in payment of rates to the Council, except tho addition made by an Act of 1896 which we now proceed to allude to, as like all our Acts, the wording is not quite so clear as it might be. Clause 2 in " The Municipal Corporations Act 1886 Amendment Act 1896 " is as follows : — " Notwithstanding anything confined in " The Municipal Corporations Act 1886" and person whese ntme appears on the de faulters' list shall ba entitled to- vote at any election for Mayor or Councillor, or' at any poll far a special loan as provided by the said Act, if be shall have previously paid all rates, costs, and penalties due by him." Muny ratepayers feel aggrieved to find themselves called upon to pay not only the outstanding rate?, but the very last rate struck before they will be allowed to exercise the same privileges aa the ratepayers whose names are on the Burgess List and who may not have paid the present year's rate. We however believe shat thid is the intention of the Ac as clause 8 recites " The production of the rate-oullector's receipt, showing all rates, cost?, and penalties as having been paid " ehall b 9 authority to tho Returning Officer to allow the ratepayer to vote. By paying up all claims due to the Borough the ratepayer is put on a footing with those who have paid prior to the expiry date, months previously, and he pays in full, as some compensation to the Borough for hjs previous laxity. It appears also as though some distinction was needed between those on the Burgess List and those who pay for election purposes, as otherwise a Burgess List is of no value. We know many think differently and last year the question was warmly discussed at Wanganui, when the experienced Town Clerk, Mr J. Purnell acted on our interpretation of the Act and wrote a long letter to the papers explaining the whole position. In the forthcoming Mayoral election no defaulting ratepayer will be placed in a bad position by paying up all claims prior to voting, as a very short time will elapse before those who have not paid the present year's rates will, unless the same are paid, have ten per cent added to their amount, besides having, befora long to pay pay or get upon the Defaulters' List. We advise all who desire to vote, and who may be in on the present Defaulters' List, to make up their minds to pay all rates, costs, and penalties, and surely the privilege is worth the money.