LIVINGSTONE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 793, 26 October 1878, Page 2

LIVINGSTONE.

• « (from our own correspondent. ) October 24. The excitement occasioned by the removal of the polling place for the Otekaike Riding from here to the Otekaike Station has somewhat subsided on receipt of the news that a Deputy Returning Officer is to be appointed; but even this arrangement seems far from satisfactory, giving rise as it does to the following anomally. Livingstone appears to be the centre of population in the Riding, and has for the past seven or eight years taken precedence as the plaee for the declaration of tho r <>'A '-■--. :'■:: election of members 0; '.-.•.--_, or Provincial Council. Since there are very few electors in the vicinity of the Otekaike Station, the bulk of the votes must be recorded by the Deputy, and the poll declared before those 'who are chiefly non-electors, for it would appear that fully nine-theths of the electors reside much nearer here than the station ; that favored gentleman, whoever he may be, will probably receive about one-fourth of the remuneration paid to the Returning Officer, while he does three-fourths the work. This would seem sinecurism with a vengeance. Having made enquiries of our County member, I find that it must have been an oversight on the part of the Council to make this arbitrary alteration. He unfortunately, through circumstances over which he had no control, was absent from the meeting when it was made. Opinions are varied as to whether a poll will be demanded ; some think there may be a walk over for the present member—Mr. Sutherland. We are likely soon to have an improved approach to the township, as the Council have commenced repairs from this point in a more systematic way than heretofore. The road required attention on account of the recent floods, The works in connection with the Cemetery are now almost completed. A better spot could scarcely have been selected, as it is situated on a considerable rise from the township, and is consequently 'well drained. A meeting of the trustees of the above was held to-day in the Schoolhouse, Mr. R. W. Botting, (President, in the chair). The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Secretary reported that about L 45 had been subscribed in the district, which had been supplemented by a subsidy from the County Council to the value of L2O. Mr. Sutherland has been very energetic in getting an appropriation of this kind to the district. Accounts were passed as follows .—Mr. W. Aitken. LI 6 10s : Mr. J. Anderson, LI ; Mr. W. M'Phail, ISs 9d ; Mr. Botting, junr., Lls 2s 6d ; total, L 33 lis 3d; leaving a credit balance of L3l Ss 9d. It was decided to have the cemetery J.uid off in beds and walks, and a live fence sown. We may therefore hope soon to have a decent resting-place for the departed. The weather remains changeable, but as a result of the timely rains the wheat crop on the table lands is making splendid progress. A new road being in course of construction, the difficulty in the transit of grain will be very much lessened. Mr. M'Master's new house seems all but complete, and is quite an acqiiisition to the district.