The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1886. HAKATERE TOWN BOARD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1247, 26 May 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1886. HAKATERE TOWN BOARD.

School,

A poll for the election of five persons to serve as Commissioners on the Hakatcre Town Board will be taken at the Hampstead Schoolroom on Saturday next between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Seven candidates for seats on the Board have been nominated, and a considerable amount of interest is already displayed in the approaching contest. A majority of the candidates have no public career to which they can refer, but they are all tolerably well known to the ratepayers, and, without drawing any invidious distinctions, we may urge upon those interested the desirableness of selecting representatives who will give earnest and conscientious attention to the important duties they will be called upon to discharge. Too often, in local elections, a number of voters give their support to particular candidates on purely personal considerations, without any serious regard to the qualifications of the aspirants for office. It is almost unnecessary to point out the dangers and unfairness of such a course of procedure, and we trust the electors of the new Town District will be guided in their clioice of representatives by the business capacity and general fitness of the candidates, and not, in this particular case, by the social geniality or plausible professions of Mr Smith or Mr Jones or Mr Robinson or any other pe son who Jmay have a special and personal interest in the result. ' The Town Districts Acts, ISSI, furnishes the following definition of persons entitled to vote at the election; —

“Section 17 —Every person whose name shall appear on the Electoral Roll for any riding cf the county within which the district is included and who shall own or occupy property situate within the district shall be entitled to vote at the first election of Commissioners prior to any rate being levied under this Act.”

The number of votes each ratepayer is entitled to is set out in Section xS as follows: —One vote for a rateable valuation less than LSO; not less than' JLSO but less than Lroo, two votes; not less than Lxoo, but less than Lxso, three votes; not less than Ll5O, but less than L3SO, four votes; five votes for a rateable valuation of L 350 and upwards. The voting will be regulated by the same conditions as applied to municipal elections; i.e., an elector may votegfor one or five or any intermediate number of candidates. As the boundaries of the Hakatere Town District are of a somewhat irregular and ill-defined description we have had a plan prepared showing clearly the limits of the district. The plan is now open for inspection at the office of this paper.

Mails for the Australian Colonies only, via Melbourne, close at the Bluff, per Tarawera, Noon on Friday. The second day’s racing of the Heathcote Racing Club’s May meeting was held yesterday, The programme was made up entirely of trotting events, and was gone through very satisfactorily. A numrer of sporting gentlemen hold a very enjoyable coursing meeting at South Kakaia on the Queen’s Birthday. Mr John Irwin as judge, Mr Magson as slipper, and Mr H. Heard as flag steward, discharged their respective duties most satisfactorily. It will be noticed from a communication by our Wellington correspondent, appearing in issue (which was also published in our second edition yesterday), that the members of the House of Representatives especially interested in the “ cheap money ” question have reccornmended the Colonial Land Association to abandon the Land Association Bill and assist in the passage of a draft Bill prepared by Mr Maoandrew the member for Fort Chalmers. The authorities entrusted with the administration of The Sheep Act have stationed Mr Sutton, an Inspector from the North Island, in Ashburton. Mr Sutton is intrusted with the supervision of the district lying between the Rakaia and Opihi rivers, and is instructed to vigorously enforce the penal clauses of The Sheep Act, 1878, Amendment Act, 1881, with regard to owners Dejecting to dip sheep infested with lice.

While making his Financial Statement in in House of Representatives last night the lolonial Treasurer said it is proposed that the Hit Exhibition shall take place in Dunedin

or Cliristchurch, about the end of 1887, in time to forward the exhibits, if it be so decided, to the Centennial Celebration Exhibition to bo held in Sydney in 1888.

We are informed by our Mount Somers correspondent that the Inspector has not yet paid his promised visit to the Mount Somers

The Contractor for the extension of the

railway from Cavendish to Mount Somers is making good progress with the work. A large number of men, horses, and drays are employed in forming the road-way, and the pretty little township of Mount Somers boars quite an animated appearance. Several dwellings have recently been erected in 'ho locality.

The annual concert in aid of the Presbyterian Church Fund for the united districts of Methven, Alford Forest, Mount Somers. Rangitata and Springburn was held at Springburn on Friday last, may 21st. The Hev. D. McNeil presided. He called upon the Secretary, Mr T. E. Tomlinson, to road the annual report, which, after touching upon the chaotic state of things 5 years back, reflected with pleasure upon the order and kindliness

exhibited at the present time, all the districts concerned contributing a fair share towards the minister’s stipend, now no longer dopend-

ing upon spasmodic “ cheques on account” from various well disposed supporters. The report was passed with acclamation. The programme of the concert was then gone on with, Messrs Buochler (organ), Price (violin), Voalo and Vinton (Ist and ‘2nd cornet), and Brough (Euphonium), performing an overture in good time. The llnvs A. M. Beattie, J. Stewart, and A. Blake, each gave a short address. Perhaps the best received item in the entertainment was an an original poem, read by Mr Tomlinson, comparing the so-called “ good old time” with the present settled social aspect of affairs. Mr Vinton’s recitation, “ The Firemans Wedding,” was rendered with considerable force and pathos. Mr Kneen of Ashburton received the lions share of applause in the musical selections played and sung by him. Miss Dick, of Ashburton, gave the “ Scottish Blue Bell and “ Killarney ” in excellent style. Miss Ollivier was also heartily applauded, as was Miss Price, whoso assistance is always to bo relied upon when a good cause ia in hand. Votes of thanks to the ladies and gentlemen who had contributed to the evenings amusement, and to the Chairman for officiating brought the entertainment to n close. The amount realised will be about £lO. It will be noticed from a j/n'ri* we publish in this issue of the Financial Statement delivered in the House of Representatives last evening by the Colonial Treasurer that the Government propose to set aside £II,OOO for the extension of the railway from Mount Somers to Alford Forest. At the Resident Magistrate Court this morning, before Mr D. Williamson, J.P. and Mr D. Thomas J.P., Mary Cunningham was charged with having been drunk at the Railway Station on the 25th inst, and also with having made use of obscene language on the same date. On the first charge the accused was fined 10s and costs, with the alternative of 18 hours imprisonment, and on the second, ordered to bo imprisonment tor three months with hard labor. A first offender for drunkenness was lined 5a and costs. The Directors of the Ashburton Saleyards Co. met yesterday to consider the suggestion made in respect to the removal of the yards to a ' site within the borough. The Directors arrived at a determination upon the subject, and communicate the same to the Borough Council at its next meeting. In the meantime the decision of the Directors has not been allowed to transpire.