West Coast Times. TUESDAY, SEPT. 25, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 314, 25 September 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, SEPT. 25, 1866.

The public meeting for the practical inauguration of Municipal institutions in Hokitika takes place this afternoon. It has been duly convened by a sufficient number of the householders who signed the original petition,-prayiug for the application to the town of the Municipal Ordinance. It will bo perfectly within the recollection of most of our readers that the former meeting was adjourned by a unanimous vote of the citizens present, on the ground that it was undesirable to proceed to the election of CouucillorsAvth a very restricted constituency, and a very limited class from .which candidates legally eligible could _ be cho-en. The Municipal Council Ordinance was originally framed 'to meet a state of society to which .that ,of a -goldfiekls' town, with its sudden i" development, presents no analogous features. One of its provisions restricted the municipal qualification to householders who had been fora'period of six months qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly or the Provincial Council. In amending the Ordinance, in order to niake it applicable to this district, the work was done very clumsily indeed, and it was discovered by JVlr S.ile, at almost the last moment.

that no householder was entitled totake any part in the election, either as voter ov candidate, who had not held a business license for twelve consecutive months. Of the most eligible candidates who came foiVard in answer t»> numerously-signed requisitions, several were found to be disqualified under an interpretation of the law, which, although it took the public by surprise at the time, and occa^ioned'some feeling 1 of anger as well as disappointment, was afterwards frankly admitted to be the only one that the language of the Ordinance allowed.

In declining to take immediate action under these circumstances, the citizens were actuated by a hope that the slight delay provided for would afford an opportunity for the law to be amended, so that the' vast bulk of those who are to constitute the future body of ratepayers might be brought within tie pale of qualification. It was known that the General Assembly was on the eve of meeting, and that Mr Moorhouse wou)d be present in it, to urge the claims' o'" his constituents to such practical reforms as their special circumstances rendered necessary. Ills Honor, when here, a clay or two after the meeting was adjourned, recognised the reasonableness of the reform suggested Tsy the deputation. What followed is known. Th,e Municipal Ordinance remains as it was. The adjourned meeting of citizens lapsed in consequence of the unavoidable absence of Mr Sale, the legal Chairman', at the Grey, in" the discharge of his duties as Returning Officer. ' .And the town was threatened to be left for an indefinite period without the longcoveted boon of Municipal Institutions. The situation is 'only altered in this respect — Three months haye elapsed since the meetings held h\ June last, at the Prince of Wales Theatre, and the result has been to qualify a good many of the householders, who at that date ' had no legal suffrage^ Kvery householder, of six months' residence within the municipal district, who shall have' been for six months entitled to vote at elections— in other words, who shall haye held a license, or right, for six months prior W the 25th day of Ap x ril last— 4s a qualified voter, ai*d niay be a candidate.

In a former analysis of the Municipal Ordiuance, -we explained the large powers conferred upon the Council, which are sufficiently ample to provide for all the exigencies of local town-govern-ment, That it has been determined, by tho

promoter's of the movement to proceed to bring tho Ordiuance into operation withontftirther delay is, wethink,€ wise' discretion. That the olectioiuof Coun-' cillors cannot bo carried out under the most favorable cu-cHuusttmees, must be admitted ; but we do not think the fact k oughf tp bo allowed to have sufficient weight to again postpone action. Whilst the delay will have the ett'oct, as we have stated, of bringing many, under the qualification clause who were not entitled throe months ago, we fear that many .who wore then or might bs now qualified, have allowed their qualification to, lajfee. There has been a great deal of laxity of late in the renewal of business licenses. For ' this state of things there is but ou§ practical remedy. One of the firsßmffof the new Council will be the^Plparation of a ratepayers roll. The present restripted qualifications is of force only until this s £^l^ eea done. When it is clone, /^Yre^ election may take place if the gen'uemen who may to-da# be put in nomination, pledge themselves to retire from office as soon as the ' roll has been prepared, tlfed before proceeding to levy rates or otherwise exetgjse the very considera"ble powers vested in- them. This \vbuld> amply secure the right of the citizens to proceed tb a fret election — and I whilst sufficiently complying with the' terYns of the Act to" bring it into actual operation, wculd give the whole body of rateable householders the opportu-/ nity, at no distant date, of the unfettered exercise of the municipal franqhise. No hope can. be entertained, we fear, of any amendment* of the existing"Jaw being- effected daring the present session of tlie General Assembly. It is alreadysdrawing to a close. It has more pressing business to dispose of before its prorogation; and the town cannot afford to wait. The complicated system of qualification which has been justly protested against, applies only to the preliminary election. As soon as the ratepayers' roll is made out, it constitutes the new basis of electoral right, ,to be in future iv force as long as the Corporation continues in existence.

The first tiling to be dove to-day will be the' appointment of two Assessors " in such manner a^ the electors, present may think necessary.* 1 Iv the Chairman is vested tho power of deciding. all points of order. The Assessors being chosen by either open vote or ballot, of the meeting, the whole future conduct of the election will rest with the Chairman aud the — the ' decision of any two qf them as to the qualification of 'persons claiming to vote aiid objected' to, and as to till other points raised, being final. With them lies the power of appointing poll-clerks, of - fixing polling places, and of determining the manner in which the votes shall be taken, " whether viva voce or by voting paper and otherwise .y '