HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 431, 13 February 1909, Page 3

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(FROM ODB' SPECIAL nEPOEtER.) ' ' ' ■'■■ '' . ■ ■'. * . '-'"'.'•'' .' V -. : ':.' *:' : ■ Constable 0. Stuart, of Lower Hutt, has ; received notice of transfer to Lyell, West Coast, "where ho will be in sole , charge fV.cl hold the office of clerk of the Court. :K u leaves on 'IHiesday. Constable ■ Scott, from' :\\.elUngton,will fillthe vacancy. ■ : to: the inclomenfc weather yesterday,: the visit of inspection of the Petone Borough Louiicillors to the reservoir -was postponed until one day next-week. ... ' ■- .••'■■' ■• The.Hutt Licensed Victuallers , ' Association have decided to support the reflection of the present Licensing Committee. This course , m Y ,£ e adopted by the No-License League/, and thus avoid an election. ~ v lhe Hospital Sunday Demonstration Committee, have held a clcaring-up-meeting. The' sum-paid into the .Wellington Hospital''..accountwas £49 14s.,,which b is£l7,4s P 3d. less : SS ° ° helpfid dMin e W ° f Mr - T - A -Peterkin, Mayor of : terday; ' ™ c " n « d erably. improved ;yesopen ; tho 'Melling' Suspension Bridge on' Saturday 'next,; Febru-: .ary .20, instead of-to-day. The alteratinn k ab ¥ e «f ae M ntter for ; Roads and Bridges, tfle Hon: A. .W. Hogg. . 1,1, /i, M 1,6 .GoMmercial Club will be nn-, ished by.Monday. Two billiard,tables have ;been.purchased,:and.they willbeput inposf. ; tu>n:next,week, ;Tenders.have been V for" . : :. St ;. A «? u . sti ne's.(Petone).Sunday /School .picniO:wih'.be.held.at..Belmont to-day: ' tJ-e^T' fio6rS ' h r aTe beeil Elected to WWF^!r s; vice-presidents Mrs., G., D. McEwen, Messrs J. W MrFwnr, T ,Waugh,Xei g h J; f!S: Wakel -Keligxpa ;■■ secretary, Mr.' ,w" v.;;:;^ : JE[m^:LI^]ySE';LEAGUIk : x ;w%4Beneral-' meeting .61 members:bf the ■Hutt ,No-License League, held on Thursday evenmg■■-: in; St. /Augustine's .Hall,.V:Peto n / • i resolutions were carried •— .:■ l:;-ahat.'-,'we'•emphatically/. and.indignantly protest the, ruling 'and/the .finding of .the Court of the Hutt Licensing Poll in;quiry 'on the following grounds :—(a) That ■.the.ruling ; that the. Court: had no Nurisdic--tipn to inquire unto.-irregularities'.antecedent ,to the. poll -. m ■ direct; contradiction to .the ruling .of a majority of. the same-bench at .the Masterton. inquiry the week before ■■ and that,such ruling'tend3 to reduce such ; an ;m™?. tf.-. a- farce, (b). That the refusal or the Court to rule that unless irregularities were proved the onus .of proof that such irregularities did. not materially, affect' the , result of the.poll was,on the./respondents ; ; was.contradictory.; of tho ' ruling of' Dr' M. Arthur at the Newtewn inquiry; and that further, was contradictory of the usual rulinc in/similar; inquiries, '•(c) That the violation of.-the secrecy-of; the'.ballot in.three booths .r-where map and blackboard inadequately took the..place/of • the; inner compartments required by the-Aot, and at one booth whore there- was: no '■provision 'in the nature of :inner compartments (there being-absolutely open-voting);- was ruled by the Court to be ; so trifling as to. require no' answer' from the resporidents.:\; (d) That the .finding of the Court .was: not : in •accord with the balance of the evidence. . /'--.:■ »., ; '■/,.:,: ( THat ; we,are strongly 'of the 'Conviction that: inquiries into a licensing poll should be;,oonducted /by-'a, Judge of -the Supreme .Court.-:-/ ' ■■.-/, :'/■/',.:"/:;'/:.j :/:./,:-:,5./.■:•;■ - Xinv view/;of; ';the : fact ,< that' the lrade . is,,on :its trial, at'./every. licensing, poll, -. no ex-publican should be v eligible for appointment';. to. "the. important /and responsible, position ,of "..registrar: :or" returniric officer.:/' :, ■;■■■/:;--; ,; : ■■._!■■ :., ..■'. .\: ; -V, 1 ,-, ~; , - ; ■• :4, That" the/ enrolment;; of ■;.\ all'; "electors should be undertaken by State-paid/officials.; '5. That; copies of ..the above resolutions be sent' to the; local ;press,'.to. tho.Press Asso.ciation, to-'.the/Premier,, to -Dr.'. Pindlay, r to' .Mr.-;, Mansfield, ■ and;.to/ all members: of Par- ;■■-/■:'.:;•;//■ ';.: ■ .'■ '..'-;-...