TEMUKA ROAD BOARD ELECTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 903, 12 January 1882, Page 2

TEMUKA ROAD BOARD ELECTION.

The polling for the election of three members to sit on the Teinuka Road Board was'held last Tuesday. There was. ’ a complete absence of anything like exr citemeut but the number of votes polled at the various polling booths shows that a keen interest was felt in the election. The gross number of votes palled was. 1287, the largest ever known to have been, recorded at any previous t lection. . . At 13.30 yesterday, Mr W. Wills. Returning officer held the official declaration of the p 11, at which about 15 ratepayers were present. The result of the pollingat the various booths was as follows :

The Returning Officer then declared; Messrs Talbot, Austin, and Barker duly elected members of the Board for the, ensuing year. Mr Talbot said ho was sor’y there was. not.more ratepayers present. He supposed, that as he had been elected at thehead of the poll it was necessary for him, to make a few remarks. He thanked the ratepayers for this renewed expression oftheir confidence in him, and hoped that, lie would in future deserve their confidence. He felt satisfied that good members who would work well together had been elected. The number of votes polled by the three elected candidates showed, that the ratepayers; had full confidence in them,and that a majority was unanimous in. the choice they had made. He again, t thanked them fqr haying returned him. Mr Barker said he was very much, obliged to them for this new*iark of con-, fidence in him. He had not expected, that he would be elected., not because he, did not feel; that he had tried to do his. best in the past, but, because of the num-. • ber of candidates in the field .splitting up, the votes. He was very glad Mr Austin,/ had been elected, as Rangif&ja would now,, have a good man to represent it.

Mr Storey said that a report had been, spread that Mr Buxton had resigned, He ; would like to know whether that was true, Mr Buxton said he was prepared to slate, there was not the slightest truth’ in it/ The report was circulated wjthoot the, slightest foundation in fact. He was surprised when he heard the report that he . had resigned in favor of Mr Austin, as he, had not done so He was much obliged; to them for having returned ; Mr as ho thought hi«fl 4 the best man. There , were a few things dope by the Board of which he did not approve, but he held,, his tongue about them ; thinking, he would be elected, and that he could he ventilate them. He was . glad, however, that My. Austin had., been e’ected because he believed him a ,better man than, himself, but he did not . live in the district, and therefore was not in as goqd.a position to represent Rangitata. The Rangitata was thinly populated and could not muster as many votes, as Winchester and hence perhaps the reason he was not elected. There was. another matter. It was said that because, he was a supporter of Mr Postlethwaite he would not be elected. He thought itwas very wrong, to mix up politic? with , local matters. He did not regret having - supported Mr Postlethwaite. : He thanked, them for the support they had accorded him and perhaps oh some future he would be more successful. Mr Talbot expressed his regre, at politics being mixed up with local and moved a vote of thanks to the Return-, ing officer. Mr Dyson asked if Mr Afistin was to. represent Rangitata in place of Mr. Empson how would: the Board know whose turn it would be to resign nextyear, Mr Barker said that would be easilydone by the Board balloting for the raera-. ber who,should resign. Mr Brown asked whether Mr En.paon had resigned. Talbot said 'he had sent a letter, withdrawing his resignation till the end of the year at t|iq. request of the Board. Mr Story asked whether the resignation had been qffipially accepted. Mr Talbot thought there was nothing on the minutes to that effect. Mr Brown : Thqn there is no vacancyfor Rangitata if you have not accepted Mr Empson’s resignation. Mr Barker : If a member absents himself for, three consecutive meetings his, seat becomes vacant.

Mr Talbot said he had not the slightest doubt that the difficulty qonld be got over besides he had been speaking to Mr Postlethwaite about the boundaries of the. two districts and he found that both. Boards would have to resign shortly. Mr Storey said that the question was, whether the election was legal, for if it waa^

pot anything the Board would do would pot be legal. Mr Mendelson was fully satisfied that the Board had done for the best, and that every credit was, due to them for the Planner in which they had carried out the election. They had not wasted the ratepayers money in holding an extraordinary election of a member to fill Mr Empson’s seat, and, therefore, the thanks of the ratepayers was due to them.

Mr J. Brown ; That’s not the question, but is it rightly done, Mr Mendelson : It is judiciously done.

The vote of thanks to the Returning Officer having been carried amidst cheers, the proceedings terminated.

43 s 1* -g ft BQptha. _g' c3 o a 43 O O 13 £ -4' S' wB *3 : e t-s ft pc; HI H Termika 207 185 50 88 218 28 10 14 '14 Winchester... 57 62 5 8 34 Waitohi Orari 26 34 41 30 18 26 23 9 61 18 Milford 7 5 2. 7 Total; 831 833 99 130 338 66