MUNICIPAL LAW

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2372, 30 January 1915, Page 8

MUNICIPAL LAW

. ■» THE SATURDAY HOLIDAY PETITION. 'Among those interested in securing a poll on the half-holiday question there exists some doubt as to which municipal roll is to be used. Yesterday, the Town Clerk (Mr. J. R. Palmer) made a statement to a Dominion representative in which he made it clear that the old roll (or 1913 roll) was the one which would be used for the checking of signatures to the petition for a poll which the Saturday half-holiday advocates propose to present very shortly. Mr. Palmer said that ho had written to the secretary (Mr. A. W. Croskery) of tho Saturday movement to that effect. The petition for the,poll has to be presented not less than one month before the date fixed on for the elections. The elections are to be held on April 28. A clear month prior to that leaves March 27 as the last date for presenting tho document. The new roll will not come into forco until April 1, so it is considered that tho only roll by which tho petition could be checked is tho old roll. Mr. Palmer raised another point in favour of his contention. He said that as the petition would have to contain one-tenth of the number of names on the rolls of tho combined districts it is obvious that it is only possible to state tho number required if the old roll is used. It seems that to be on the safe side (that is, to make ample allowance for invalid signatures) tho Saturday Association will need to obtain at least 5000 signatures to their petition. The numbers on the rolls total 45,357. . A bare majority will carry the poll.