CITY COUNCIL NOMINATIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 4314, 23 December 1876, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL NOMINATIONS.

The nomination for a Councillor to represent South Ward, in the room of Mr Fish, resigned, and for one in the place of Mr Walter, for High Ward, took place at noon to-day. The Town Clerk (Mr Massey) read the following nominations SOUTH WARD. Thos. Condon proposed, and Chas, Bellman seconded William Edward Couzens. Thomas J. Leary proposed, and EVAN Prosser seconded Grant P. Farquhar. James Mollison proposed and John Tonkin Roberts seconded Henry Smith Fish, jun. HIGH WARD. Barnard Isaac proposed and John M. Brown seconded Henry John Walter. The Mayor : There being no opposition in High Ward, I have to declare Mr H. J. Walter elected Councillor for that ward. There being more than one candidate for South Ward and a poll being demanded all further proceedings are adjourned till Thursday next, when a poll will be taken. Cr. Walter had to thank the ratepayers of High Ward for electing him unopposed. The reason that induced him to resign his seat and come forward again was well known throughout Dune Tin. He might say that Dunedin, although the most important Corporation in the Colony, was the only Corporation which had been snubbed in connection with the Harbor Board. There was nothing intheHarbor Act to prevent members of the Harbor Board going into the Council, and this was the reason why he (Mr Walter) was now before the ratepayers. He had resigned his seat at the Council table at the direct wish of the whole of the Council, and he ran a very great risk of the probability of being elected to the Harbor Board. The High Ward ratepapers’ perceptive faculties were very keen in matters electoral, and not a solitary ratepayer had come forward to oppose him; but be was very sorry to see that such was not the case in South Ward. An ill-founded report had got abroad that the Council’s representatives were going to the Harbor Board with the intention of being a stumbling-block. The interests of the citizens of Dunedin were diametrically the same as those of the Harbor Board. The City Council had lost a very important reserve to which they had an imperative right, and, although it might happen sometimes that there was nothing in a name, this time the case was reversed, and there had been something in a name. The Public Petitions Committee reported in favor of the citizens, so far as the reserve was concerned, and while the Legislative Council remained comparatively passive, looking forward that right and justice would be done, the citizens had lost a valuable reserve, meaning an extra tax on each ratepayer of 3d the pound. Mr Walter concluded by thanking the ratepayers of High Ward for returning him -without opposition, and promised that they should not have cause to regret it so long as he held the breath of life. Mr Farquhar had only been induced to contest South Ward in consequence of considerable pressure being brought to bear upon him. He would issue an address on municipal matters, but beyond that he left the matter in the hands of the ratepayers. Mr Couzens finding that a portion of the ratepayers wanted a change of diet had determined to offer himself for South Ward. Mr Kish had hoped that, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, he would have been permitted to be returned unopposed to the Council. It was at the request of the fail Council that lie had resigned, they holding that they had been most grossly and unnecessarily insulted. Tie trusted that the South Ward electors would return him with I little exertion on his part, for, if opposition

was intended, ho submitted that, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, the proper time for it would be at the end of the present year, up to which time he had been formerly elected. As the duties of Councillor and a member of the Harbor Board would req lire considerable time, and os it was only at the direct wish of the'whole Council that he accepted both offices he would then probably have resigned the councillorship. The opposition of one gentleman to him resulted- in this wise: for the last two or three years there had been an agitation to have upper High and Stafford streets cut down at a cost of a couple of thousand, and the agitation was renewed recently. As the work would only benefit one person, he (Mr Fish) considered it his duty as representative of South Ward to oppose it, hence the opposition of one who had stated that it was only in consequence of “ considerable pressure ” he had determined to fight the election. At other meetings he would designate this matter more clearly. Mr Fish stated that he considered the City Council had assumed a determined stand in the return of two of its own members to the Harbor Board.. Under the circumstances of the case he considered the ratepayers of’ South Ward were compelled to return him to the Council.