THE REGULATION OF LOCAL ELECTIONS ACT.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 794, 19 July 1877, Page 2

THE REGULATION OF LOCAL ELECTIONS ACT.

Sir,— ln your is3ue of last Thursday, a correspondent who signs himself, '.Stuck iv the Mud,' asks th-j reason why the Hamilton. Wssfc Town Board have taken uo stppi to bring lhe Local Elections Act, 1876, into forco iv this district ; and he further hints th.it his question will be eohotd m a voioe of tha'uder, at the uuetiug ofjthe 30th v iu»t. I may inform ymr correspondent, tbat the Board coiisidvrel the matter, pnl a-nvsd ai the

conclusion, that the system was too cumbersome and expensive for it to be applied to this district at present. Already, the cost of valuation, com mis. won, salaries, printing, &0., absorbs over one third of the rates oolleoted, and I doubt if the ratepayers would agree to adopt a system thab is l.kely to divert any further portion of their funds from their proper channel. The Local Elections Acb enacts, that it shall be brought into operation by proclamation of the Governor, on the written request of at least two thirds of the local body. After the question has been considered and agreed to, by a public meeting of ratepayers convened for that purpose. If the Board had considered it expedient to bring the Aot into forco, of course, they would have had to call a public meeting to consider the matter, and to support their aotion, before requesting the proclamation of the Governor. Bub, I lad to see that they have m the least neglected lv d £ ty ' when the y are of opinion that the old system of election is quite adequate to the requirements ofthe district, and they are not at all singular m that opinion, for, I do not believe that there is one Highway ;Joard m this County that has brought the Act into torce. Your correspondent must be very little acquainted with the temper of the Hamilton ratepayers, if he labours under the illusion that the figurative whip or spur oan be used on them with impunity. lu.ieeJ, his remarks generally give one the idea that his mind must have been somewhat bespattered with the mire m which he is stuck.— l am, &,c, Trustee. Hamilton, July 14, 1877.