VOTES FOR STATE TENANTS

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21372, 17 March 1941, Page 4

VOTES FOR STATE TENANTS

Legislation relating to local body voting qualifications which is to be introduced in Parliament shortly is certain to arouse keen controversy. It is proposed to give the tenants of State houses full voting powers in local body loan proposals. Under the present law all tenants, whether of State or private houses, are fully qualified to vote at local elections but have no voice in the decisions to expend money. Now it is proposed that State tenants as distinct from private tenants should be given full voting powers. Admittedly there is a shade of inequality affecting the State house position, but the remedy proposed by the Government might be very dangerous. The Hon. W. E. Parry said that the Government had now “ virtually decided to pay local body rates on State houses,” but as the law stood there would be no vote to represent those houses. He argued that the rates were reflected in the rentals of the houses. The same argument might apply to private rental houses, though in that case, of course, the owner has his vote. That is where there is a certain inequality. But if the vote is made available to tenants the position might become far more anomalous. The present legislation had in view the principle that only those who shared the cost should have the right to vote for a loan proposal. If that principle is removed there is a strong possibility of extravagant spending without security for the cost being regularly met. Even though a tenant may to some extent bear the cost of loans through the payment of higher rental, he has only to change his place of abode and his responsibility ends. It may be said that the incoming tenant will take up the burden, but as likely as not he would have been opposed to the loan which imposed the additional cost. Or, if the thing is carried to the extreme, the rentals might become so high that the houses would remain vacant. It is agreed that State house tenants have some cause for complaint, seeing that local body administration is not infallible, but the remedy proposed might easily lead to a more undesirable state of affairs. It is almost certain that every State house tenant would vote in favour of every loan proposal, as would private tenants if they had the power. That is human nature. The other fellow has to pay. the rates and—well, he might not pass on all the extra cost.