Battle of the Ballot

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 651, 1 May 1929, Page 1

Battle of the Ballot

POLLING IN THE CITY Voting Found Laborious FOR many Auckland citizens, to-day is an occasion for wearing the well-known worried look. Some of them are flinching from a two-foot ballot, paper with an array of t>7 names on it. In fact, the gravity of the occasion has overwhelmed more than one voter in the various booths. A tour of the polling booths indicates that the public is manifesting more than ordinary interest in the selection ot the persons who. for the next two years, will have control of local government.

'J'HE weather, if not gloriously shining, is at least not wet. Therefore one hoary excuse for the nonfulfilment of a civic duty is found baseless. A feature of the polling is the large number of women visiting the booths. Many arrived in private cars, many by taxi, and most of all just “popped in,” or so it would seem, in the course of a shopping itinerary. The deputy-returning officer. Mr. G B. Beaumont, soon found that the 25 screened desks erected in the concert chamber at the Town Hall were quite inadequate to cope with the host of voters growing impatient at. the time occupied by those just ahead who were faithfully exercising their rights, and had followed the advice of the city returning officer, Mr. P. F. Notley, to “vote early.” Accordingly another 15 cubicles were ranged in the only spare corner. The long bench accommodated 25 booth clerks and these are enjoying but few spare moments. WEARISOME PROCESS One citizen this morning had taken 40 minutes to make up his mind which body of councillors would levy his rates for the next two years, and when THE SUN reporter left even then had not made up his mind. Other people in various booths have taken anything up to half an hour to weigh up the merits of council candidates. The average time taken over the casting of votes works out at about 10 minutes, and this means that operations in most booths where there is anything like steady polling are slowed up. From the time of the opening of the booth at the Leys Institute polling has been steadily maintained, and all day there has been a stream of ribbon-bedecked motor-cars conveying voters to the polling-place. On the footpath in front of the building lurk people with big blue rolls, anxious to tell the voter if he is eligible

to plump for a Mayor and councillors: then there are various gentlemen with persuasive smiles and bundles of tickets, who urge one not to forget So-and-So and to support such-ami-such a ticket. Most of the people who voted eariy in the day were middle-aged and elderly-. men and women being equallv divided. The younger generation was putting in its appearance this afternoon. Returning officers state that there is much more interest manifested In the present election than in previous ones, people being more eager to vote. Despite the par! that the newspapers have endeavoured to make clear instructions about declaration voting, many people have failed at various booths to grasp the purpose of such a vote. The result Is thaL many have been disappointed. People somehow have got the idea that if their name does not happen to be on the roll everything would be all right if they applied for a paper of declaration. This method of course was onlyallowed to those who satisfied the returning officer that though due application had been made for registration yet the council had not inserted the name in the roll. Others again were of opinion that because they were on the Parliamentary roll they were entitled to vote in the municipal elections. Several electors, aged, infirm, blind or illiterate, have had their voting performed for them by the returning officers. In comparison with the Leys Institute booth, the St. Peter’s booth. Great North Road, this morning was in the doldrums. Polling was very slow, and some of those earnest workers with rolls, tickets and motorcars, had to kick their heels in idleness. This afternoon things have livened up, and the returning officcr anticipates busy times when the workers come to record their votes. Steady polling has been the rule at the Trades Hall.