ROAD BOARD ELECTIONS.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 3222, 18 June 1873, Page 3

ROAD BOARD ELECTIONS.

To the Editor.

Sni—As the first elections under the Roads Ordinance came off on the 12tb, it may not be out of place to show where amendments could be made for the better working in future. Clause 98 requires each candidate to be proposed by one voter duly qualified, and seconded by another voter equally well qualified; and when a certain returning officer acts according to the strict reading of said clause, a protest is made against his decision, as it is the popular belief and practice that a candidate can either propose or second himself; but if such be the case, or -the intention of the Ordinance, why does it not read so ? On this point the law doctors also differ, as one gave it as his opinion that a candidate could nominate but not second; the other gave it as his opinion that a candidate could either propose or second his own nomination. Well, this blundering has been the means of two individuals claiming to be elected, when the returning officer only intended to elect one, with the assistance of clause 98. Then in another sub-division of the same district another grievance has arisen, owing to a separate and distinct form of ballot being used as compared with the form of ballot used at elections for General and Provincial Governments: one candidate would not accept the declaration of the poll, as he was certain from the number of voters who intended supporting him, of being returned. This ballot caused a goodly number of voters to play the fool, as their votes turned out to be informal. Then another cause of complaint is the having the election on tbe Presbyterian Fastdiy. Let the Government state distinctly in the amendment the form of nomination, without loopholes ; also one uniform system of voting by ballot, so that the most illiterate may not err.—l am, &c., A VOTER. Pine Hill, .Tune 17.