FEILDING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5215, 8 December 1877, Page 2 (Supplement)

FEILDING.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

There has been a very keenly contested election in Feilding for the vacant seat for No. 1 Ward in the Manchester Highways Board, which resulted in the candidate who got the smallest show of hands at the various I meetings going in by nearly two to one. The candidates were Mr. T. V. Brown and Mr. Peter Bartholomew, and the latter gentleman was elected by 121 votes against 64 for Mr. Brown. Mr. E. H. Wright, who was a scrutineer for Mr. Brown, entered a protest against some votes being received, on account of the parties having parted with their qualifications; and Mr. Brown himself entered a protest to the return of Mr. Bartholomew ; but the following letter from the chairman of the Board, who happened to be in Wellington at the time, to the returning officer, will explain matters authoritatively : "Wellington Club, N.Z.,Nov.2S, 1877.—Mr. B. IC. Dowling, Feilding.—Dear Sir, —I received to-day your letter announcing the election of Mr. Peter Bartholomew as warden, Manchester Highways District, and I handed the letter to the Under-Secretary, at the Colonial Secretary's office, with the protests from Mr. E. H. Wright and Mr. T. V. Brown. I em informed by the Under-Secretary that the tlection will be gazetted. Mr. Brown's protest against the election is useless, as the elecion by open voting is perfectly legal, the ballot system provided for by the Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876, requiring to be adopted by the ratepayers themselves by petition to the Government; it is also held that the assessment roll is the only and indisputable guide to the returning officer as to the qualification of the voters, and while any name remains on the roll no question can be raised as to his right to vote, even though he may have parted with the qualification. Moreover, as Air. Bartholomew had so large a majority, the result could be in no way affected by the withdrawal of those votes if Messrs. Maysmor and Belk were held to be disqualified.—l am, &c, A. Follett ILvLCCrtIBE, Chairman, Manchester Highways Board." Great preparations are being made for holding sports at Eeilding on Boxing Day. There is to be a meeting held in a fortnight's time, convened by the Highways Board, to decide upon bringing the Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876, into operation in the district, and also for the consideration of the advisability of erecting Eeilding into a municipality, as was lately suggested by Mr. Halcombe at a meeting of the electors at Feilding.