LOAN POLLS HITCH

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1062, 28 August 1930, Page 11

LOAN POLLS HITCH

NOT ALWAYS TRUE LOCAL INTEREST NEW LEGISLATION URGED Disapproval was expressed at a meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, held today. Mr. Malcolm Stewart presiding, of the fact that many loan polls are carried as a result of a few interested ratepayers voting, the remainder being apathetic and therefore not taking part in the polls. The question arose when the remits were tabled for the next conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, which is to take place at Mt. Cook in October.

The remit stated ‘‘that realising danger under this system that polls may be carried that are not really in the true local interest at all, the chamber urges that legislation be introduced to provide that no loan proposal shall be deemed to be carried unless at least 25 per cent of the ratepayers vote at the poll.”

“It is a very important question.” said Mr. Stewart. At the recent poll concerning the Avondale trams. 10 per cent, of the ratepayers was sufficient to carry the poll and it could hardly be regarded as the right thing. Mr. T. B. Clay said that it was absurd in the case of the Avondale trams that such a small number of the ratepayers should be able to decide such an important question. The financial position was not at its best and it was not right that expenditure of so much money should be decided in such a wa y. It was decided to approve of the r - mit.