A SERIES OF INQUIRIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1447, 5 September 1885, Page 2

A SERIES OF INQUIRIES.

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD.') Sir, — I read m your paper 3 r esterday, that Cr Park had" been fined £50 for having supplied and been paid for sundry items of stationery to the Council m the ordinary course of his business m contraventions of the Municipal Corporation Act, which prohibits Crs from holding any place of profit under or within the gift of the Council, or doing any work or participating therein, nnder a penalty of .£'so, thus m other words, disqualifying him to sit as a Councillor. I also road that on the same day Mr Thomas Sutton and another were nominated to fill the position for Councillor for No. 4 Ward, and m due course there should be an election. I also believe that this Mr Thomas Sutton holds a license which it appears to me is a place of pro fit, both under and within the gift of the Council, and that m fact lie, Sutton, i trades upon the license to procure his livilihood. The object of my writing this is to' make the following enquiry :— Ist. Is the nomination of Mr Sutton, presuming him thus disqualified to sit, a legal one, sufficient to justify the Returning Officer m holding an election or taking a poll. 2nd. Will the Borough authorities, if Mr Sutton is elected, be justified m administering the oaths of office. 3rd. Is Mr Sutton prepared to resign his daily avocation for the honour of sitting as a Borough Councillor, and if so, would his election be valid, seeing that he was disqualified at the time of nomination. 4th. In either case, if elected, could he either take the oath or sit without incurring a fine of £50. These little matters it would be well for Mr Sutton to ponder over, before the day of election, as if he goes to the poll it seems to me, he bids fair to make a fool of himself, as well as a fool of his supporters, who would simply be throwing their votes away. — I am, &c, Ratepayer. i Palraerston North, Sept, 4. [We do not see that Mr Sutton's holding a carter's license disqualifies him m auy way. The license is not " within tho gift of the Council," as no applicant can be refused one, if tendering the fee with his application to the Town Clerk. Supplying goods is a different matter altogether. At the same time it is incumbent on candidates and others to be careful what they do m these critical ! times.— Ed. M.S.]