Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Thursday, February 23, 1882.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1040, 23 February 1882, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Thursday, February 23, 1882.

Our attention has been called to the omission of polling booths south of Tologa Bay for the election of members to preside on the Licensing Committee for the Tologa Bay District. Contrary to what is generally supposed, the Tologa Bay Licensing District comprises the whole of the County of Cook outside of the Gisborne Riding and Borough. Thus it will be seen that the ratepayers at the Aluriwai, Pakirikiri, Aral Riding, and a large portion of the AVaimata Riding are practically disfranchised, because the nearest polling booth at which they can record their votes on Friday next will be at Tologa Bay. There is one thing very evident that the ratepayers of the districts named have been thoroughly apathetic in the matter, and they have no one to blame but themselves should a committee be elected that may not hereafter be found to act in accordance with the views they hold. Two residents in Gisborne were requested to allow themselves to be nominated and they consented, but it ean hardly be expected that they can afford the time to canvass the country to be elected as Licensing Commissioners, however willing they may beta contribute their quota to the administration of local affairs. As usual, until something approaching a calamity befall the people they will not waken up to what is to their own public interest. Judging from the gentlemen nominated the balance of power for the ensuing year under the Licensing Act, so far as the Aral Riding and the. Waimata Riding are concerned, will rest with Tologa Bay. In other words the districts in which Devery's Hotel, the Muriwai Hotel, the Isle of Mull, and the Hotel at Whatatutu, are situated, are amenable to the Tologa Bay Licensing Committee, or if the ratepayers in any portion of the said districts require new licenses the fiat rests with the committee before mentioned. While the Patutalii people and those resident generally in Waikohu ami that part of the country have been dilatory; somebody is equally culpable of neglecting Io establish polling booths in those parts.

The effects of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act are making themselves in some quarters unpleasantly apparent. From the judgment pronounced in the ease of the Stanmoro Election Petition Case, on Monday afternoon last, by His Honor Judge Johnston, Mr Pilliet, an Opposition candidate elected to represent Stanmoro, has been unseated. On this occasion an elector named Scott is the scapegoat. From the evidence adduced at the trial it was proved that Scott bad been engaged as clerk to Mr Pilliet’s committee, with the understanding that he was to hare payment, which was an illegal practice. The other charges

the Court considered were not proved, | but in respect of the matter of Scott ; the Court was bound to deciare ihati an illegal practice within tb.e knowledge : and consent of the respondent Pilliet : had been committed ; that he had not been duly elected, and that the return of his election must be void. The Court refused to make any order for costs, holding that the time of the Court had been unnecessarily taken up in trying charges which were not substantiated. The Court made an order calling upon John Scott to appear next. Thursday, and show cause why the Court should not report that he had been guilty of illegal practices. The penalty that Mr Pilliet, the unfortunate candidate who was returned at. the bead of the poll, is liable to. according to the Act, is, firstly, that he is ineligible for election during the present Parliament. This he might get over, but he is also subject to such incapacities as if, at the same date, lie had been convicted on indictment of a corrupt practice. In this respect the position of the candidate and the accused, Scott, who has been found

guilty of corrupt practice, are equalized. What does the Act say? In effect it says that a person convicted on an indictment shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and shall be liable to a fine of £4OO, and shall not be capable for a period of five years of voting at any election for a public office, or holding any public office. Air Pilliet is out of the political arena for the next five years. How many others are there in the Colony who took part in the late elections who are as guilty of breaking the law as Messrs. Pilliet and Scott ? But Justice is blind.

Mr Sam. Stevenson will run a brake to the sale of racehorses and blood stock, &c., at Waerenga-a-hiku to-day, starting from the Masonic Hotel, at 11 a.m. We desire to remind our cricketing friend 8 that a. match —Married v. Single—wiil b c played on Saturday next, the 25th instant, at Tu Hapera, play to commence at half-past one. We hope t here will be a good field present to choose the teams from. We bog to draw’ the attention of our readers to the sale of thoroughbred and other stock, to take place to-day at W:ierenga-a-hika nt 12 o’clock, by Messrs Ciulaw Smith & Co. In addition to the other horses advertised for sale, The Squire, Prim, A.G. and Hero will he offered by Auction. The sale will take place whether the clerk of the weather is propitious or not. Lieut. Herman will give a ventriloqnial entertainment at Ormond to-night, and we believe will also show at Makaraka on Friday evening. On Saturday afternoon a matinee will be given for the convenience of school children and families, at million prices ; and we advise all those who desire to give their children a treat to take them to Lieut. Herman’s Saturday afternoon performance. Lieutenant Herman gave one of his ventri'.oquial entertainments in the Masonic Hall on Tuesday evening hist. The Ball was crowded and the entertainment was of a highly amusing character. At the conclusion of the performance a dance took place which was well patronised and continued until 12 o’clock. Last evening Lieut. Herman was again greeted with a full house and succeeded in sending his audience home highly pleased with their evening’s amusement.