Almost 11 per cent of votes in

Matiu Eru, kaumatua, Ngati Kahungunu, centre, saying a karakia, near Pania of the Reef, before the group protesters walked to the Sound Shell. Photo / Duncan Brown

More than a tenth of voters eligible to take part in the Hawke's Bay local government reorganisation referendum poll had exercised their right in the first five days of the three-week poll, according to poll managers Electionz.

The company's website records 12,043 votes had been received by early afternoon on Friday - most of them that day as the postal delivery service kicked-in following the delivery of voting papers during the week. It represented 10.86 per cent of the 110,905 voters on the roll, but anyone aged 18 and over and resident in the districts subject to the amalgamation proposal at the time the vote closes on September 15 is entitled to vote.

Central Hawke's Bay constituents were the keenest, with votes received from 1396 (14.48 per cent) of its 9641 voters, 673 (12.51 per cent) of Wairoa's 5380 voters had done their thing, while in the major centres the 4865 Napier votes represented 11.38 per cent of its roll proportion of 42,769, and 5109 people had voted from the Hastings district, 9.63 per cent of its roll of 53,067.

No votes had been received from the 48 in the small pockets of Rangitikei and Taupo districts included in the poll.

Counting of how people voted will not start until after the vote closes at midday on September 15, and a preliminary result is expected later that day.

Meanwhile, a small number of people attended a rally in Napier yesterday called by Napier Pilot City Trust stalwart and social justice campaigner Pat Magill to express opposition to the single-council amalgamation proposal, because of fears that social and community issues will become even more distant from local Government than under the existing four councils.

Mr Magill helped establish the trust under the mantra of a 1977 Social Development Council of New Zealand point that Napier, being a city of under 60,000, was not "yet" too large to learn about itself.

"Amalgamation is not about strengthening communities. It (the proposal) is a takeover stimulated by wealth and ambition with little feeling (for) where our communities are at," he said.

Former Colenso High School principal Mark Cleary, community housing advocate Minnie Ratima, Maraenui community re-education advocate and Napier councillor Maxine Boag all spoke to the gathering in the Sound Shell, following a short walk from the nearby Pania of the Reef statue. Ms Boag, who maintains a high profile in her Nelson Park council ward, said that if she were elected to the proposed new Hawke's Bay Council "nobody would ever see me".

The final speaker was Napier Mayor Bill Dalton, who said it was probably his last appearance on the amalgamation debate "apart from social media ... "

- People eligible to vote and who have not received voting papers should call 0800 666 033.