FATE UNCERTAIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 7, 30 March 1927, Page 1

FATE UNCERTAIN

NEWMARKET LOAN POLL VOTES TO BE INVESTIGATED The fate of the Newmarket loan poll which was taken yesterday is still undecided. At present there is a majority of four against the proposal, but there are still 37 declaration votes to be counted. Yesterday the ratepayers of the borough were asked to vote on the council’s proposal to raise a loan of £4,500 for the purpose of installing up-to-date fire-fighting appliances. The Newmarket Fire Brigade is at present housed in an old building and the engine is not as modern as it could be. Of the 1,026 ratepayers on the roll only 643 voted, and the voting was as follows: For the Proposal 296 Against the Proposal . . . . 300 Informal .. 10 Majority Against 4 The Newmarket poll is the first under which the provisions of section 12 of the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Act, 1926, have been applied. This section provides for persons whose names art not on the roll making declaration votes. Such votes are placed in sealed envelopes, numbered by the returning officer and placed in the ballot box. Anyone making a false declaration is liable to a fine of £SO. To-day the town clerk of Newmarket, Mr. H. Wilson, is scrutinising the rolls in preparation for the official recount. When that is done the votes by declaration will be carefully investigated.