The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1873.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 144, 17 June 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1873.

We are by no means sorry to find that the recent election of members of the Town Local Committee of Education has given rise to some little disputation, since it shows that there is some interest taken in the matter. . „ Anything is better than the apathy that has hitherto prevailed, and we. feel disposed rather to encourage than to attempt to allay the little storm, mild though it may be, that has arisen. We do not at all agree with our correspondent "H. A. L." whose letters we are always glad to receive, that any blame is to be attached to those who desired to " infuse new blood '- into the Committee for the means tbey had adopted for effecting their purpose. They desired a change, and in order to bring about that change they attended the meeting and gave their votes. . We have no desire to refer in any way to the respective. merits of the candidates, but all we now have to deal with is the manner in which the election of those who were successful was secured, and we certainly can see nothing objectionable or unconstitutional in a number of ratepayers deciding upon the names of certain gentlemen whom they deemed fit for the office, and taking care to be present at the time appointed for the voting. But we fully agree with our correspondent that the system upon which these elections are conducted is one that is open to gross abuse, and consequently,- should-, be --altered as soon as possible.. So. long. as anyone who was in. the. habit ,of attending, these annual' meetings of' the ratepayers. was able to name, with some degree of. certainty the sixteen or seventeen persons who would be present, the present method was perhaps as good as any other^ --but now that a more active interest appears ; to be displayed in the elections, it is quite clear that some other plan must be ; adppted. In the first place we. object, not now for the first time, to the time at which the ratepayers are invited to meet.. Those who. are chiefly interested in the management of the Government schools are the laboring classes^ and others whose means will not permit of their sending their children to private schools. They are actively employed all day, and ; can ill afford to devote some twenty or thirty minutes out of the dinner hour to attending the meeting. In the second place it is exceedingly difficult, where ft large number of people are assembled, to count with that precision that is required in a closely contested election the number of hands held : up, and almost impossible to say whether every band represents a ratepayer. ' These latter objections would- of course, be. applicable only in & town where the gathering was likely to be a large" one. , The only remedy that presents itself to Our minds for the evils complained of is that the election, should be conducted as are those of representatives in our legislative assemblies, being preceded by a regular nomination of candidates. It does not follow that the latter should be made at a meeting of the ratepayers— although the argument may be adduced iu its favor that no other opportunity is afforded of assembling and discussing matters connected with educa- ; tion-^-but the names night be sent in, duly proposed and seconded, in writing to the chairmen of the respective; committees, a day being appointed for receiving them, and another for the election, the polling to take place, say ; between the hours of twelve and onei and five and six, the qualification being that the voter should not be merely a nominal but an actual ratepayer; in other words he should be required to show the collector's receipt for the previous year's rates. The objection may be raised .that . this would be investing what is at.present a very simple proceeding with too much formality. Our reply is that it is because

there is such a simplicity about*the;arrangement that it is thought so lightly off. A little more' formj in conducting^ the proceedings, -and a little more cafe^in 4providing that those who are not fairly entitled to exercise the privilege of voting should not be allowed to -use it, would tend to a larger .interest being taken in the election 5 ofcCommitteemen,and to npreaterlimpbrt-' ance being attached to the office. Although no alteration can be effected until the next session of the Provincial Council, wehave thought it advisable to throw out these suggestions, and if they meet with the. approval of the ratepayers we shall lose no opportunity of urging them upon the proper authorities. At the same time it would be well if .each* Local Committee were to express its opinion upon this proposal at the Central Board through the medium of its representative; One thing is quite clear to us, after being present at tbe recent town election, and hearing the comments to which it has given rise, -namely, that some change is necessary. Possibly we may not have hit upon the right remedy, but if any of our readers have other plans to propose, we shall have much pleasure fcjJU*-*jljJM->U^ Wesleyan Chuhch Anniversary. — The anniversary meeting will be held at the Wesleyan Church, Hardy Street, this evening, when the chair will be taken by Alfred: Saunders, Esq. Several ministers, and friends will address the meeting, and anthems will be sung by the choir. Annual Licensing Meeting. — The annual meeting of Justices for the issuing and renewing of licenses was held this morning. The total number granted was forty-one, the" only new house' licensed being that recently erected by Mr Simmonds near the Saltwater Bridge. Nelson City Loan. — Tenders for £4800 of debentures at six per cent were opened at tho Provincial Treasurer's office this morning. The applications were as follows :— £2500 at £1 ls 6d premium ; £600 at lOs premium ; £500 at 4s premium; £3000 at ls premium; and £5400 at par. T: The highest tenders were,' of course, accepted. Fire at Richmond. — A fire took place at a little before twelve last night, at the Wheal sheaf Inn, occupied by Mr Benfield. The building was totally destroyed^ and Mr Benfield was only able to save a small portion of his furniture. The stable ■ at the back of the house was also burnt down, and at one time it was feared that the flames would spread to the Institute and adjoining. buildings;: but fortunately there was no wind, or they must have gone. The 1 fire is supposed to have originated in. the kitchen chimney. Nelson Gas-works. — Fresh tenders, we notice, are invited for cutting and fill? ihg iii trenches for the gaspipes, in consequence of the party to whom, the contract had been granted having, after a morning's work, chosen to throw it up because they had discovered that they could : not "make wages at tbe price at which tbey had undertaken the work. Hard; as it .may appear to laboring men who send in bona fide tenders for public works, the Government will evidently have to take some precaution, in the shape of insisting upon securities being found, to prevent their being humbugged — -We can iise n rid milder or more appropriate term— in this way. It is not-long since' the Successful ten'derer' for removing, the rock at the entrance to the harbor played the same trick that has 4 now been .practised by the contractors for., cutting the trenches for the pipes. Two or three hours; have ibeen ;i expended; upon,, digging a few mantraps pn the Port road, and the contractors, -not being- satisfied with the result ( pf the experiment, have declined' to '• proceed ! any Y furtb'erj, ' lhe' ; Government, being powerless to, insist upon the work being carried out, except" by bringing an action for breach of contract. The lowest tender is naturally accepted in cases of this kind, but if the Government are to be exposed to this sort of . treatment they; ;will, in gelf defence, have to require that tenderers shall provide securities f,or ;th,e prppejp (Carrying-put of the works, even io such trivial matters as the digging of a few trenches in the streets,, „ ., . ; *.- ..; ■ ,-| . i; ,- ■.■ . ;: ... ■/■.