Poverty Bay Standard. Publised Every Evening. GISBORNE: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1882.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1233, 27 December 1882, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. Publised Every Evening. GISBORNE: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1882.

Wx are pleased to see that two of the candidat** for election to the vacant seat* in the Borough Connoil will address the ratepayer* on Thursday evening next, at 7.30 p.m., in McFarlane 1 * Hall, for which purpose a public meeting is convened. While on this subject we would earnestly request the Borough Council, and the respective candidate* to take counsel*’ opinion a* to the legality of the election under existing circumstance*. If the election* should be declared null, every act done by the Borough Council while the so-elected Councillors form a constituent part of it, will be illegal and empty of real power. For instance, a person summoned by a wrongly constituted Council for any wrong doing; non-payment of rates; furious riding, or any breach of the Borough by-laws, may snap his finger at the local body. It seems to us absurd to chance expense in this manner. We have taken legal opinion and are told that any (election so carried out will nullify every motion of tne Council, and maybe th* means of putting ratepayers to a heavy expense. We demaua that proper caution shall be used to guard against any such contingency. The Council employs a solicitor; what is his opinion 1