THE LATE LICENSING ELECTION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6799, 5 March 1884, Page 3

THE LATE LICENSING ELECTION.

Sir, — Having noticed the independent part you todk with regard to the late licensing election I ask for more light on the following questions: — (1.) Was the late election legal ? (2.) Can a person hot, a ratepayer be nominated and elected for the Licensing Committee? (3.) Does the Licensing Act in any of its parts specify that the electors must vote for the full number? (4.) Do you think the returning officer could legally reject the ballot paper wherein less than five were left uncancelled, as informal 1 The . reason I ask those questions is because I hear of a ! great number of people who, like me, hold that the ruling with regard to . the.fwumber is not in aocord with the spirit oi tho. Act. I also heard to-daj that the election is not valid because both

parties did not nominate five each. I don't see through this. Both the temperance people and the publicans nomi-' nated five each, with this slight difference, the temperance party were satisfied with three of those on the publicans' ticket, and their two temperance men made up the five who were the one-sided. — I am, &c, Enquirer. j_l. Certainly 'the late election was legal. 2. Yes. 3. The Licensing Act does not deal with that question. The Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876, is the Act which applies. In no place is it specifically directed that the voter must vote for the full number of candidates to be elected — indeed, the inference to be drawn from the reading of the Act is that a voter might vote for any number he pleases, so long as he does not vote for more than the number to be elected. However, the borough solicitor ruled otherwise, and the returning officer was guided by him. 5. We presume that if any paper were illegally rejected damages could be obtained against the returning officer. 6. It is absurd to say that the election is invalid because each side did not nominate five candidates. — Ed. H.TB.H.j