WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION BLUNDER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1839, 19 April 1884, Page 2

WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION BLUNDER.

TO I'HK EDITOR. Sin, — I see by notice in The Waik.ito Times that the council propose to hold an election in the Newcastle Riding on the 80th Apnl inst., in oidei to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mi Lamb. Now, Sir, as appeals to me, the council ib about to do an illegal act, and the election will be invalid. Tins is an extraordinary vacancy, and the council allowed the time to lapse within which the law requires the election should be held. If it w.is a road boaid made this blunder the council would not at sill feel sin prised, but every poison will be .struck with amazement th.it the council, which claims to know mi much, should be caught napping, while their chairman, or cleik, or returning officer, 01 peihaps the tuo, may be subjecting tht»in->el\es to a heavy penalty, as well as getting the distnct into unfoieseen expense. It will be lecollected that in a leport of the pioceeding at the meeting of the council held on the 11th of last Maich. the cleik wa^ instructed to wiifco to Mr Lamb lolitive to his absence. In a few days aftei Mr Limb sent in his lesign.ition. But it does not appoir that the chaiini.m or clerk took any notice of what should be done there and then, as is re'iuued by the Statutes, winch the council are bound to sec attended to, until the Bth of the piesent month, when, at the meeting of the council held on that day, th it body the'i went through the form of accepting the lesignation lefoired to. This was altogethei a supeifluous ceioumny. The council could not lefuse to receive his lesignation when sent in form as the act lequnes. Section 00 of the Counties Act says:— "Any councillor may lesign his office bv writing under his hand to the chairman or the clerk, and in such case his office shall be v.icint, and such vacancy shall be deemed to be an extraordinaiy vacancy." Now, Sir, as all elections for the county have to be held under the Local I Elections Act, it is well to know what that act says must be done when an extraordinary vacancy occur.s. Section 40 says :—: — '" In case of an extraordinary vacancy iv an office, the clerk or proper officer of the local body shall forthwith give notice of such vacancy to the returning officer, and the ietnrniii2 officer shall forthwith, by public notice, appoint a day, not less than twenty nor moie than twenty-five clear days fiom the occuirence of such vacancy, for the election to fill the same ; and shall in such notice appoint a place within the the district, and a day not less than seven nor moie than twelve days after the publication of .such notice, for receiving the nominations of candidates ; and except as provided by this section, all the pioceedmgs in an election to fill an extraordinary vacancy shall be the same as piovided for hilling an ordinary vacancy by this act." What will the chairman and clerk have to say to this ? Will they attempt to give any excuse for their negligence ? I believe the cleik ib albo the returning officer. It will not do to say that notice for an election could not be given before the resignation could be considered , for the act says different, and the council have acted differently in the case of the Itangiaohia vacancy. It is evident that tho whole proceedings in connection with thi.s case are in a confounded muddle. If the election be pro- ; ceeded with it may afterwards be upset iv the way the act provides, which means expense to the ratepayers. But to the party most particularly concerned, the worst of all is threatened by the 44th section of the Local Elections Act, which says: "If any returning officer, or substitute for a returning officer, or deputj returning officer is guilty of any wilful or negligent act of commission or omission contrary to the provisions of this act in respect to any election, he shall be liable to a penalty of not more than fifty pounds." It will be interesting to see what course the council will now take in this matter, as, if they proceed in the course they have undertaken, it must be presumed they are doing so knowingly and wilfully. I should like to see the council out of this difficulty, in order to afford them another chance to make-a-the-try again.— l am, &c, Fernbank. March 18th, 1884.

Sea Sickness. — Sea sicklies is very easy with those who possess stamina and nerve. You come on board with this ; then pprhapsmal de mer attacks you. Well, it you keep below you have merely your own strength to defend you ; if you go on deck, and keep on deck, you find allies, most valuable, in the pure bracing air of the sea, and in the sunshine, and in the walking exercise you take, to say nothing of the good mental effects that accrue from seeing everything that is taking place around you, and from exchanging ideas with your fellow-passengers. In this way debility flies ; you get stronger instead of weaker every day, and as you gain more and more, strength, farther and farther flies away the danger of becoming a. victim to sea sickness. Debility must be fought by passengers going first to sea ; and my advice to all is to prepare for the voyage for .three weeks or a fortnight beforehand by regular living, temperance in everything, good diet, exercise,- and -f cash air. \T)o>not take stimulants at sea, or .the liver is bound to igql.wr.dhg^nd. yourjast state;, will: be"