LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 February 1941, Page 9

LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

■» GVERNMENT’S DECISION. PROTEST BY HARBOUR BOARD ißy Telegraph—Press Association. 1 DUNEDIN. February 10. A protest against the Government’s decision to hold local body elections next May was made at a special meeting of the Otago Harbour Board, when a resolution was adopted asking the Government to reccncider the question in the light of the changed international position during the last six months. It was stated by several speakers that the cost of the elections to the board would be about £lOOO, a sum similar to that which it had been asked to contribute for emergency fire fighting equipment, and that if the elections were postponed the board, in common with out local bodies and the Government, would be able to save a considerable amount of money. “It is absolutely absurd that the country should be put to the expense of local body elections this year," Mr. F. E. Tyson said. Mr. W. R. Clarke said that the Government decided to hold local body elections after local bodies had answered a questionnaire on the subject and it was probable that the Government’s decision was based on the answers received. “Since that time," Mr. Duncan said, we have been shaken out of our complacency. Circumstances were different then, and we did not have any fear of invasion or bombardment. I am inclined to think that the Government would be pleased now to have the chance of economising."