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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 96, 11 September 1878, Page 2

Tub municipal eleciions take place tomorrow, and as some -considerable doubt 'prevails oil a certain point, it woulii just, he ns well the matter were elenrly defined before* it is too late. Councillor Owkw fivrfpited his seat at the Council some fchno hgo, but- intismuch as three other vacancies would shortly occur, it. was not deemed advisable "to " then proclaim .that particular' vacancy, and tlie consequence was that the same days' were fixed tor the nomination and election of the four new Councillors. As one of the four who will be elected, wul

be supposed to represent Cr. Owen, and as he will have to retire by effluxion of time before the. other three, the question naturally arises, how is the Town Clerk to know upon whom tlie necessity of retiring will devolve. The nominations were all handed m the same day, the nomination papers do not state what ' particular vacancy a candidate aspires: to fill, and while Messrs. Fehottson, Coleman, and Walton, if returned, will naturally imagine they, represent the late Councillors,- £he ; new candidates, Messrs. Gatten and KrNO repudiate the idea that they are contesting for Councillor Owen's seat. The latter portion of Clause 64 of the Municipal Corporation's Act says: — "If any two or more Councillors have been m office for equal periods, those who at their election received a lesser number of votes, shall bo deemed to have been longer m office than those who have received a higher number ; and if any such Councillors have received an equal number of votes, the Mayor shall decide the matter by lot m the presence of the Council." This, then we should imagine, sets the matter at rest. The four Councillors being elected to office at tho same time, the one receiving the smallest number of votes, shall, by the Act, be deemed to have boon longest m office, and consequently will be called upon to retire before the others.