Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Saturday, February 11, 1882.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1035, 11 February 1882, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Saturday, February 11, 1882.

The approachina; election for members of the Licensing Committee for the ordinary district comprised within the Borough of Gisborne is creating a considerable amount of interest. The election, as has already been an nouueed, will take place on the 15th instant, the hours of polling being from nine o’clock in the morning nn’il aix in the evening. “A subscriber,” in a letter appearing in another column, asks three pertinent questions, which we gladly answer, with reference to the qualification of candidates and the mode of procedure to be adopted in carrying out the election. Who, he asks, (1) are e.it'tled to vote.' Every ratepayer, according to the definition in the Act, whose name ap pears on a roll of County electors, or a burgees roll, or a ratepayers’ roll, entitling the electors, burgesses, or ratepayers within a Borough, Riding of a County, or Road District, or any . Ward or other division thereof, to

vote at elections of members for such bodies respectively. Thus, as the Licensing district of Gisborne is coterminous with the boundary of the Borough, only every Borough ratepayer shall be entitled to rote at the forthcoming election. (2). Whether the selection of candidates is limited to persons residingiiu'Moi i he Borough ? That enquiry of our correspondent may be answered distinctly in the negative. Sub-section 1 or clause 13, treating of the constitution of the i Licensing Committees within ordinary . districts provides that the Licensing ■ Committee shall consist of five perI sons who may be residents within or ' outside of the district. The Gisborne i Borough district is constituted an ordinary Licensing District within the meaning of the Act. The Act includes i under the head of ,l resident” all persons, male and female, of twenty-one years of age and upwards. There is nothing, therefore, to preelude the possibility of sueh a contingency arising as having a Licensing Committee consisting of five ladies ; nor is there anything in the Act lo prevent the same “ residents,” whether they are within or without any particular district, being elected to serve upon one or more Licensing Committees. The persons composing the Committee are to be annually elected, but no one interested in the manufacture or sale of liquor, or in licensed premises, or who has been a bankrupt, or who has been insolvent during the last four years and paid less than 10s in the £, is eligible for election. The same restriction applies to persons holding paid offices under the Government of Colony, or under the Council of any County or Borough. (3). How many notes is each person voting entitled to give? Each ratepayer is entitled to give one vote only for each member to be elected. Sub-section sof clause 13, provides that every ratepayer, not. withstanding his name appears c-n several separate rolls, shall have one vote and no more in respect of each member of a Licensing Committee to be elected at any election. It. therefore, follows that at the forthcoming local election each ratepayer in the Borough is empowered by the Act to vote for five of the candidates nominated, giving one vote to each of the fine persons whom he desires to see elected.