The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1877.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 223, 30 May 1877, Page 2

The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1877.

At noon on Monday, the Returning Officer for the Town Board (W. Cowern, Esq.) posted outside the Court House, Carlyle, the names of five persons who had been nominated as candidates for the Town Board, ns follows:—John Milroy, Robert Albert Adams, William Williams, William Wilson, and James Lett. Two of the number (Messrs Milroy and Williams) are retiring members from the late Board, having completed their term of service in accordance with the provisions of the Ordinance. The other throe are fresh candidates, Two of the latter may be looked upon ns suitable. The third, Mr Wilson, is well known in town, and has nothing to recommend him for the office he has ' been stupid or weak enough to allow 1 himself to be nominated for. Though a i

ratepayer, it is questionable if lie 18 properly eligible as a candidate for tb e Town Board. It is said he affixes a cross in lien of writing bis name to any document on which his sign manual is required. He almost comes under the head of pauper, haying lately applied to the County Council for relief, and but a short time ago having been in actual receipt of Hospital relief. His mode of life is too well known to need specifica lion. He would in no way be an ornament to the Town Board, or useful to the town. It would be too harsh to characterise him as anything but a simpleton. Mr Wilson is really less to blame for the disgrace and ridicule brought upon tbe town by reason of his nomination as a candidate for the Town Board, than those who were foolish or splenetic enough to nominate him. He could be but a tool in their hands. One of the nominators is a retiring member from the late Board. When not self sought, it is usual for persons to be elected to places of honor or public trust on account of possessing special qualification, either in the matter of ability or good character. The nominating gentlemen must be considered as setting a very low estimate on their own qualifications, when Mr Wilson should he deemed better fitted to represent Carlyle in the Town Board than cither of themselves, as evidenced by the fact of their having nominated Wilson, Besides being a reflection on themselves, ft is a reflection on the whole of the ratepayers, and will do harm to the district. The nominators cannot honestly think, nor would they be likely to admit, that Mr Wilson was their superior in mental capacity or moral worth. On no other grounds would they be justified in nominating him. Besides knowing that Mr Wilson would be a disgrace to the present Board, and that his election would most likely be followed by the resignation of the other six members, thus causing unnecessary expense and trouble and strife, tbe nominators must have known that Mr Wilson wna incapable of performing the duties devolving on a member of the Board. A sub-section in Clause 42 of (! The Regulation of Local, Elections Act,” might be construed in a manner which would prove unpalatable to the nominators. It reads ns follows:— u Any person who signs any nomination paper purporting to nominate to any such office a person who is, and whom the person so signing knows to be, incapable under any Act or Ordinance of holding such office, ‘ shall bo liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds.’ ” ‘ It may be urged that Mr Wilson was only nominated for the fun of the thing. It will bo rather expensive fun for the ratepayers, out of whose pockets the election expenses will have to bo paid. With i .1' _ ' ' f-'S O '- * A tance, it is more than ever necessary that only competent men, having an interest in the town, and some pretension to good character, should be brought forward as candidates for offices of public trust. Town Board affairs in Carlyle have not been carried on so satisfactorily as is desirable. Electing men of the Wilson stamp will not improve matters. We regret that two gentlemen of the standing of those who nominated Mr Wilson, should either thoughtlessly or wilfully have brought such disgrace on Carlyle by their unseasonable action, and trust they will be amongst the first to endeavour to induce their nominee to retire by signing, or affixing his mark, to a declaration in the form of Schedule 3 of the Local Elections Act.