Voting for Loans.

Manawatu Herald, 11 May 1899, Page 2

Voting for Loans.

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The prospect of the Borough Council carrying a loan for necessary works appears particularly likely as the method of voting has undergone a very considerable change during the last session of Parliament. We only intend to point out the power given by the Act, and shall refrain from criticism upon it, at the present, by saying that we do not look upon the conditions as fair. We want a loan, and by the cry for roads all ratepayers appear to be in much the same case, whether they be the holders of large or small properties, and so there will be no disadvantage in this instance in using the means the law has given us. We can, however, easily see how owners of big properties couid be considerably rated by the majority of small ratepayers.

I Section 82 of The Municipal Corporations Act, 1886, states that if a majority in number of the burgesses vote in favour of a loan, and the number so voting are entitled to more than one-half in number of the votes which can be exercised by the whole number of burgesses, then, and not otherwise, the resolution in favour of the proposal shall be deemed to be carried. This condition was inserted to meet the circumstances attending the exercise of plural votes. During the last session of Parliament a Municipal Franchise Reform Act was passed under which various people, for apparently no very good reason were permitted to get their names placed on the Burgess Roll, but we need not mix up this matter beyond pointing out the altered conditions that exist as to voting. Section 12 states — with respect to every person who is enrolled on the Burgess Roll by virtue of any qualification created by this Act, the following provisions shall apply : — (1) He shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, have all the rights of voting and other the rights which by the principal Act or any local governing or other Act are conferred upon a ratepayer or Burgess of the Borough: Provided that, if his qualification is residential, he shall not be entitled to vote at any poll relating to loans or rates. This is of consequence from what follows in clause 15 which declares in the case of husband and wife, any qualification possessed by one of them, whether under this Act or the principal Act, shall be deemed to be possessed by each of them. Clause 14 also recites that every person who is enrolled on the Burgess Roll by virtue of any qualification created by this Act, or the principal Act, shall have one vote and no more at any poll at which he is entitled to vote.

The Surges Roll thus has a large

addition to its numbers, as not only will the actual ratepayers be on that roll, but the wives will also have a vote. As no one has more than one vote it appears as though the great majority must carry the day, and that it will be easy to get a majority of the Burgesses to vote in favour of a loan as stipulated by the Act of 1886.