THE CITY BOARD ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 496, 15 June 1865, Page 5

THE CITY BOARD ELECTIONS.

A public meeting of the electors ol \v est Ward, Nos. ], 2, and 3, and of East Ward, No. ], was held at the office of the City Board, yesterday, at 12 o'clock, noon, for the purpose, of electing cne member to serve on the City Board, for cach of the above wards. Mr. O'Borke, the Returning Officer, attended at the time named, and the room was filled with electors. The following gentlemen were then put m nomination: — For West; Ward No. 1. Mr. Jas. George, proposed by Mr. And. Bevcridge, and seconded by Mr. A. Marshall. Mr. Eicjm. Marshall, proposed, by Mr. Harney, and seconded by Mr. T. Craig. Mr. Levy PniLirs, proposed by Mr. J. Doran, and seconded by Mr. Hemmings. For West Ward No. 2. Mr. B. Taylor, proposed by Mr. McLeod, and seconded by Mr. Fennell. Mr. C. Davis, proposed by Mr. T. Craig, and seconded by Mr. E. Lc'a is. Mr. Slater proposed by Mr. Lyes, and seconded by Mr. Gilbert. Mr. W. Williams proposed by Captain Battray, and seconded by Mr. North. For thcWest "Ward No. 3. Mr. George Morris proposed by M. Sceats, seconded by Mr. W. T\ illiams. Mr. Epiihaim Mills, proposed by Mr. Wallis, seconded by Mr. Edward Walker. Mr. Herbert Ashimn, proposed by Mr. Bevcridge. seconded by Mr. Weymouth. Mr. P. Da buy, proposed by Mr. Foley, seconded by Mr. Shechau. For the East: Ward No. 1. Mr. B. .Hidings, proposed by Mr. Philips. Mr. David Graham, proposed by Mr. Smart, and seconded bj r Air. Bubinson. Mr. Ascur.R A«cni:i(, proposed by Mr, McPherson. Mr. Boiiert J. CitEiGiuroii, proposed by Mr. Swanson, and seconded by Mr. Knapp. Mr. F. L. Prime, proposed by Mr. Suffering, and seconded by Mr. T. W. Marsh. The show of hands was in favor of Messrs. Marshall, Taylor, Asliton, and Creighton, and a. poll was demanded in each ease.

Mr. P. Darby and Mr. B. J. Creighton subsequently withdrew. The polling takes place this day, commencing at nine o'clock in the morning and ending at four o'clock in the afternoon. Mr. Swanson, in proposing Mr. B-. J. Creighton for East Ward No. 1, caused a good deal of amusement by the manner in which he performed his task. He admitted that there was a deal of ignorance and blindness in the proceedings of the Board, but he very much doubted whether, under similar circumstances, many who had found fault with the members could themselves have done better had they been placed in their position. Talking about repairing roads went very little way towards mending them, and the present and late members of the Board had, after all, ho thought, done the best they could; so far as his share weut he should say so, truthfully, for himself. He hailed with great joy the light which had broken in upon their darkness from the pen of the Editor of the Cross. That gentlemen had thrown the bull's-eye of his large and brilliant intellect full upon their works, had exposed their shortcomings, and had taught engineering to their engineers, had settled tho matter of the levels, anil filled up hollows, and levelled hills, had macadamised quagmires, and had drained the city—upon paper. No one who had read the various articles which had appeared from time to time in the columns of tho Cross condemnatory of the City Board could have risen, lie thought, from the perusal of them without coming to the conclusion that there was a master mind watching the actions of that body. Why should they not secure the services of such a man for the Board as Mr. Creighton had evidently shown shown himself to be. That gentleman must, he felt sure, be only too anxious to have an opportunity of putting in practice those theories which read so well in print, and of this he, Mr. Swanson was quite sun?, that that gentleman would be belter employed attending to the duties of the City Board in Auckland than iu taking his scat at Wellington amongst a lot of men, who, if his paper spoke truth, were with one or two honorable exceptions, such as Mr. Stafford, a lot of vagabonds and political blacklegs. Mr. Creighton lie thought, should remain in Auckland, and not hide his light under a bushel. If lie took his place in the City Board, his fellow eitizens would have an opportunity of seeing what he was made of, and lie might, bo of some use, whereas it was more than doubtful whether he would be of any use at all at Wellington. Even to take the members of the two bodies (the Assembly and the Board) at his (Mr. Creighton's) own valuation, the latter was the most respectable company of the tw j. There was to be sure no honorarium attached to the office of a member of the City Board, but it would be an insult to Mr. Creighton to suppose that the guinea a day would make him undertake the one set of duties, and the want of it make him refuse the other. Mr. Swanson's speech was loudly cheered, and amid some little merriment, Mr. Creighton was seconded by Mr. Knapp. When the names of the candidates for the ward were read over by the Returning Officer, the hands of nearly all the doctors present were held up for Mr. Creighton, though that gentleman came forward and stated that he would not allow his name to be put in nomination. He subsequently made a formal withdrawal, j During the course of his remarks, Mr. Swan- [ son was loudly cheered, the company generally being anxious to secure fresh blood and all the talent and ability attainable, so that the shortcomings of the City Board for the past may be dealt with in a large, liberal, and energetic spirit for the future. In consequence of a question put to us by more than one person during the course of yesterday as to what coi.stilntcs a right to vote for the return of a member to any ward, we may state that it is not necessary that the name of the party shall appear on the electoral roll, or indeed that he shall have resided any particular time in the city or province. Should he have leased or bought a property in the city only yesterday, and have paid rates due on the same property yesterday also, ho would be entitled to a vote to-day. His being an actual ratepayer is the only title to a vote.