The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 7010, 4 January 1877, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to all men, 01 whatever state or persuasion, reHgious or . political ##• # # # Here Bhall the Presr the Peopl'e's right maintain, Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain. . TSURBDA Y.JANUAR Y4, 1877. "■ There is a matter wliich it is desirable that the several . Highway Boards should take into early consideration, and that is, the advisability of making the Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876, applicable to their respective districts. The Act is a permissive one, coming into operation only, where not applied by Act of the Asgembly, at

th3 written request of at least two thirds of the ratepayers or electors of a. ■ ■ 'district, attd then not unless the question, before getting up such request," shall have' been considered and agreed to fi|fc a public meeting of tb.e ratepayers' of the district du-y rcjiavened ffv that purpose.- 'l'he Qoimties. Abt. makes the measniie applicable^ to all elections taking: ,l>lalje undtlr that Act, but the road i boards are' nofc effected by it until they -bring .themselves, voluntarily under its. operations, 'and the first sifep' towards this doing is the calling of a public meeting- of ratepayers, to -consider the question. Apart from the desirability of bringing our various elections under one uniform

system, there are few, we think, but will, admit that there is great room for improvement in the manner of conducting our ordinary road board elections. We have a rivid recollection of more than one shcU election, conducted in lihe heat of party feeling, -when outgoing and expectant incoming trustees having met together : with their respective followings for : the purpose of -having it out with each another, cany all the bitterness of. petty party -'-strife into the polling for the. new Board. -We have seen local elections, too, in a plow going country district where, hitherto no one lad been particular hoHn, inwLioh theono party musteree to the minute in a sufficient number to form a quorum and carry tho election of their men before" the bulk of ihe ratepwyrers <came to the meeting. Altogether the proceedings are . often hurriedly . and slovenly pav : formed. Candidates are then and there nominated, and there is but little time and little opportunity of .judging between their respective' -or of hearing from them their particular views on any subject affecting tl>e interests of the district. The bringing into operation of the -Regulation of Local Elections Act woald change all this. --..Fourteen clear days notice -would have to be given in. the case of any ordinary election," and after this, a space of nofc less than five, nor. more than ten days for tha nomination of candidates. The^form of nomination is the- same as that under which the candidates for the County .Oouneils were .lately , nominated, and the proceedings, in ease of their going to the poll, similar also. On the other; side, to balance the advantages of an open, orderly, and formally conduofeed election, ds the additional expense entailed, as the Returning Officer, though appointed by the local body, must doubtless be paid •for his work. Between the two systems, however, there . can be no comparison, 'and in concluding to come, under the operation of the Act, a road district has this advantage, which a -^Comity 'Council has not, tha't it .cak:r secede from the new arrangement, and, on the written request of two thirds of ;,its ratepayers, return again to the form of .election ■■ .under' •■ v&cfc of the Assembly, or under any Provincial Act, as it was before it -came under the Regulation of Local Elections Act. The Act itself is a simple one, .and was found to work easily at the late County Elections. There is no change in the Act as to the system of taking votes, ■ but there are very great improvements in the machinery -for detecting acts of personation,; and for the prevention of irregularities, and already we notice in the case of the Coromandel County Elections, one conviction for personation effected under it. There are also new provisions for dealing with the ballot papers after they have been recorded, which gives additional seecurity to the secrecy of the ballot box. The ballot papers are to be sealed up, and handed over to the Returning Officer by each Deputy Returning Officer (in the case of a Highway Board election, there wou!d probably be no deputies required). He will then seal up all such packets of papers, and transmit tfoe whole to the Clerk of the nearest R.M. Court, who will keep the same for six months thereafter. ■■ These packets can only be opened 'by order of a Resident Magistrate presiding over a Court sera tiny, and then only the (particular ballot papers challenged can be extracted from the sealed packets, and examined. Altogether a very suitable machinery for condiictinar our local r elections, whether those of foorougjis, , county councils, road boards, or even school committees is offered for -We' acceptance of the electors generally, andifc is certainly desirable that the ;; proposed system of election regulations, which is part and parcel of our new constitutional changes, should be at least taken into the serious consideration of those for whom it was framed.