The Late Nominations.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4887, 8 September 1884, Page 2

The Late Nominations.

SPECIAL BOKOUGH COUNCIL

MEETING.

A special meeting of the Borough Council was held at 2.30 o'clock this afternoon to discuss the position in relation to the late nominations, declared to be illegal. Present: Crs Kilgour (in the Chair), McGowan, Murdoch, Fume, Bawden, Veale, Speight, Wilson, McAndrew, and Mennie.

The Town Clerk stated the reason why the meeting was called together, detailed the steps he had taken in the matter, and read the correspondence and telegrams which had passed between himself and the Mayor.

The Chairman said the position seemed pretty clear 5 there had evidently been an informality in appointing the Returing Officer for the whole Borough instead of for each separate Ward, but the mistake being only a technical one, it could be remedied by Government without putting the candidates to the expense of another election.

Cr Speight thought the Council had no right to interfere in the matter; it was the Returning Officer's duty to put the matter right.

Cr McGrowan said as the matter stood at present, only himself and Cr Wilson had been properly returned. He thought getting the time extended and appointing a Returning Officer for each ward was the right way to get out of the difficulty.

Cr Speight thought the best thing to do was to explain to the Governor how the mistake had arisen, go on with the election, and ask the Governor to validate it. Cr McAndrew concurred. The Chairman said the matter could be set right very easily ; the election could be gone on with, and they could either get it validated by the Governor, or else let it validate itself by effluxion of time—that is, 14 daya. It was of importance that no time should be lost, and no extra expense incurred, Cr Speight moved that this communication be sent to Wellington :—" That the elections for the wards of the Borough have hitherto been held in this form; that the names have been received, the poll in some wards declared, and in others fixed for Thursday, rfnd we now ask for the validation necessary," Cr Hume seconded. Cr McGovvan moved an amendment— " That the Council take the earliest opportunity for appointing its Returning Officer for each ward, and that the present elections then be carried out in accordance with law." Cr Bawden seconded. The amendment was then put —For: Crs Bawden, Murdoch, McGowan, and Wilson. Against : Cr3 SpeigEt, Me Andrew, Mennie, Veale, and Hume.

The motion was next put and carried. The Chairman drew attention to the faot that the notice must be sent to Wellington as from a meeting of the Borough Councillors, not of the Council, as the meeting was not legally called. Mr Woodward here handed in a notice he had received from the Town Clerk, instructing him to stop all proceedings in the election.

The Chairman characterised the letter as very much out of place, thinking the Town Clerk had exceeded his duty, and the meeting rose.