PETONE AND HUTT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 8, 9 July 1909, Page 2

PETONE AND HUTT.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTION. The following petition has been forwarded to the Education Board :— "We, the undersigned, being candidates for election as committccmen of the Western Petone School, pray that you declare the election of the present committee nnll and void on account of the following irregularities in the conduct of the poll :— (1) Some ballot papers were stamped with the stamp mark (Petone State School), and some had no stamp mark at all; (2) a ballot paper had ten names on it; one name was erased by one of the scrutineers; (3) a torn ballot paper was also used ; (4) there ,being two candidates of one name (Mr. and Mrs. M'Crackett) standing, a ballot paper containing the name M Crackett (Mr. or Mrs. not specified) was counted; (5) a ballot paper with five names. on it, two names able to be read, and three names unable to be read, was counted; and (6) a ballot paper with ten names on it, one candidate's name appearing twice, was counted." Last evening, at Lower Hutt, the Rev. J. M'Caw was inducted to the pastorate of Knox Church. The opening service was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Gibb, and the charge to the congregation v as delivered by the Rev. A. Thompson. Very often have the Hutt River Board meetings lapsed for want of a quorum. So often, in fact, as to occasion no great surprise. Last night there were only two members present, and these, with the board's engineer, solicitor, clerk, overseer, and press reporters, awaited fruitlessly for an attendance sufficient to constitute a legal gathering. Various, but not unfamiliar, were the excuses offered by the defaulting members. One was on a holiday, another (who is usually a most active citizen) attributed illness his inaEility to attend, whilst a 'third was detained on "very important" business. That being so, there was nothing left for those present but to go home. So far, the ratepayers have been long-suffering, but, as one of them remarked to a Post representative, "You can have too much of a good thing." It is only fair to sla-te that the chairman (Mr. Robert Stevens) lias been most regular in his attendance, rarely, if ever, missing a meeting.