THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1877.

Inangahua Times, Volume III, Issue 61, 8 January 1877, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1877.

As some doubt appers to exisf as to the duration of the prepnt; Coupty Council, it may be' as well to set tbe matter at rest by reciting clause 64 of the Counties Act, which flies the date of the next election. Tbe clause referred to rues aa follows :— " The first gtmeral election of tbe Council shall be held on a day to be appointed by tbe Governor, and tbe second general election on' the second Wednesday in November, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy eight, and every subsequent general election on the same day in each" third year thereafter." From this it is quite clear that the newly elec'tea* .councillors will ( hold office for a period of two years. The election of the Chairman is to take place annually. There is one point upon which the Act does not appear to be quitie explicit, namely, as to whether vacancies created by ouster from office under the disqualification clauges shall be filled under the provisions for first elections, or the cumulative voting principle of the Bill. Tbe only direct reference to the method of filling ex* tfaordinary vacancies is contained in clause 46 of the " Regulation of Local Elections Act," and is as follows:— " Ard except as provided by this sec* tion all tbe proceedings in an election to fill an extraordinary vacancy shall be the same as provided for filling an ordinary vacancy by this Act." The presumption is that the elections for extraordinary vacancies will be conducted under the provisions for first elections but there does not appear to be any express direction to ihat efect.

At the meeting of the Inangahua County Council on Thursday last, a good deaf of time was occupied in discussions upon the subject of district roads— particularly in regard to the Grey and Beefton road. It haa been said that in this matter the Council travelled beyond its legitimate functions, as usurping tbe functions of tbe Road Board, the latter body not yet having been incorporated in the County, But it wouldi appear that this is not strictly so. The Koad Board haa uot, nor for » considerable time past, has bad the direct control of the roads ot tbe district, which have been under Provincial management. The Road Board has merely acted as a go-between between the Government and the maintenance contractors — has supervised the work of the latter, and certified to' the payments, but nothing more, As the two bodies cannot be

legally merged until at the earliest the < latter end of March next, it might be i advisable for the Council .to apply at once to the Provincial Government for the con,tffpl of the roads.