THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS TUESDAY, OCTOBER, 27, 1914 THE COUNTY ELECTIONS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 242, 27 October 1914, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER, 27, 1914

THE COUNTY ELECTIONS.

The Official Organ of : The Fbaxklin County Coun< \i. The Pvkkkoiie Borough Coiwul. The Tuakau Town Boark The Druky B<>ad Board. TheKaraka Road Boakd. The Pukekohe West Bdad Board.

"We nothing extenuate, nor tet down aught in malice."

QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS. A correspondent writes us saying that a great deal of uncertainty exists with regard to the right of county electors who have not paid their rates to vote at the forthcoming election of the Franklin County Council. The rate notices recently aent out had this memorandum attached:— "This year being the Triennial election of Councillors, ratepayers should note that no one can vote who is in arrears. ' This memorardum appears to have caused the misunderstanding, but it reads clearly enough. The essential word is the word "ARREARS." We asked the County Clark's interpretation of this word, and he said: "Arrears means rates that were doe before 31st December last; it does not rtfer to the current rates for which the notices have been sent out.' That statement is plain and easily understandable. It is interesting, however, to see what the Act SBys nn the subject. By clauses 10 and 11 of the Counties Act Amendment, 1913, the electors' roll cloud at 5 o'clock on Wednesday, October 7th irst. It is now too late to lodße any objection. Section 49, sub-section 2 of the Counties' Act, 1908 (which is unaltered by the 1913 amendment), states:— (1) Any person may . . . lodge with the Council any objection in writing under his hand to the county electors' roll on any of the following grounds:— id) That any pcreon whose name is on the roll has not paid all the rates he was liable to pay on or before the 31st day of December previous (to the time up to which the roll is approved). THE ROAD BOARDS' ACT. The situation is different in regard to Road Boards, and as all the people of this district have hitherto been used lo Koad Board law they are doubtless confusing Koad Board practice and County law. The Road Boards Act, 1908, section 40, reads: "Provided that no ratepayer shall be entitled to vote at any such election unless he has previously paid ALL rates then due by him in respect of his qualification." The foregoing proviso creates the following position: A ratepayer who has not paid his rates may be a candidate for election and, it elected, may sit as a member of the Board, but he may not vote at an election nor may he nominate another cwdidate for election. This position does not arise under either the Counties' Act or the Town Boards Act. The position then seems to be: (1) Ratepayers who have NOT paid their current rates, but who DO NOI OWE AKKEARS, are entitled to vote at the County Council elections. (2) Ratepayers must have paid ALL rates, CURRENT as well an ARREARS, in order to qualify themselves to vote at Road Board olprHnno