QUEEN ELECTION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 284, 4 January 1930, Page 6

QUEEN ELECTION.

B. S. BARNETT.

(To the Editor.) Sir —With the closing of the Mardi Gras festivities the workers' queen committee desires to make public some statements in answer to criticisms which have appeared in the press. (1) The statement (firstly hy Mr Spiller and secondly hy Mr Pickering) that. the polling for queen elections has always heen carried out on the lines ol: Parliamentary elections, _ although a high sounding phras.e, is incorrect ; the only Parliamentary point adopted! by the 'Thirtv Thousand Ulub is what rnay well he descrihed as "a hardship clause" wherebv people atteiiding a polling hooth wlio, through no fault oi their own , being unable to vote hefore the closing of the poll are shut in the hooth and allowed to vote after the stipulated time of closing. The workers' queen committee does not consider this "hardship" can reasonably he said to apply to- the eight paymg-in delegates for tlie queen candidates at the recent election. The _ workers5' delegate found no difficulty in abidipg hy the "final notice" of the Thirty Thousand Club in paying in their lasfi money prior to 11 p.m. over ihe counter, and. hy so doing, making their voting (i.e. paying in of moneys) "definitely close at 11 p.m.," to quote the cluh's own instructions. (2) After the election (24tli. December) the Thirty Thousand Cluh's secretary stated that persons wisliing_to_ record . votes were required to he inside the \ polling hooth hefore 11 p.m,. Befofe - the election (20tli. December) he stafced in writing to each committee, "The voting will definitely close at 11 p.m."' Tbe workers' queen committee actedi strictlv on the written ruling andl claim that all other committees should have heen oompelled to do likewise.(3) Mr Spiller' s statement of December 24 strongly inrers that the workers' final payment was made inside the room (and therefore after 11 p.m.). This is entirelv incorrect. The workers' final payment was made at two minutes to 11 p.m. over the counter — • of this fact the workers' committee gave unrefuted and corroborated evidence hefore the members of the elub's > executive on tlie morning of December 25. (4) On December 24 Mr Spilleil mentioned the handing out of receipts for final payments and states that no information as to same could have got ahroad. The workers' committee haa definitely told the club that any^ claim tbat it is a "secreb hallot" is ill founded. The committee eonsiders that the giving of receipts on the final night is a eumbersome method. The committee stated to the club _ that it was ready and willing to aid iu every way possible in o'rawing up rules tliat will ensure a watertigbt and secreb ballot for the future. (5) Any eomplimentary remarks made by the workers' delegates in returning thanks fqi1 the wonderful ovation accorded- theifi candidate hy the "house" afc the finala of the election had reference to other committees nnd their candidates and not to' the Thirty Thousand Club. The workers' queen committee note with great pleasure that tlie cluh's chairman lias stated that a committee has been sefc up and would go into the matter with the various hodies. The workers' conunittee is prepared to render every possible assistance. and, if desired, will submifc a basis for future elections for tlie serious conconsideration of all coneerned. The committee feels tliat tho devising. pub« lishing and bringing into operation a hasis of election wliich will lie impervious to the slightest shadow of suspicion will he a step which must' assnre the popularity of these events with the nublic. — I am etc..

Honorary Secretary Workers' Queetf Committee. Napier, January 4, 1930.