THE MAYORAL NOMINATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 7342, 5 December 1884, Page 6

THE MAYORAL NOMINATION.

On Wednesday at nooh the formal nomination of candidates for the Mayoralty for tbe ensuing term was made. Precisely at 12 o’clock, Mr Amps, tfie Returning Officer; announced that tbe nominated candidates were fiiessrs George Fisher, James Petherick, janr.; : and George Alien snd tfie poll was fixed for Wednesday next, f the Hfltliinstsos, ' tfifs concluded the ceremony, a nnmb&r of people, including tfie representatives of tfie Press, lingered round the door qf tfie Corporation Buildings, in consequence of a rntjpr that Mr Petberipk intended to a proteat (J seme sort or other against tbe pominatioua of Messrs Allen and Fteher, At a quarter pagt 12, Mr Pethsripk requited the reporter?iu attendance to accompanying him upstairs to Mr Ames, having first received a promise from them to

t-stify in a court of law, if called upon, a* t‘» ihe time at which the protest was lodged. A ; small crowd of persons accordingly trooped umtaus, tt.id iu7,vlod the Returning Officer** ‘.aiK-uiu’, Mr Amc-i evincing «ime astonishment .it the depntoti.m. Mr I'-dheric-k at udcc opened his ca-c, and the mutter was diseased Ri.mowb.it as follows Mr Petherick : Mr Returning Officer, I wish to protest against the nomination of Mr Fisher and Mr Alien, and I claim to be eleettd to the mayoralty, as the other nominations are informal. Mr Ames : In what nay • Mr Petherick : That is not for me to a.iy ; yon will look that up for yourself. You ha-, e declared my nomination lawfnl and formal ? Mr Arne* : Yea, and I declare the others lawful and formal. Mr Petherick : I declare that the other* are informal. Mr Ames : Very well ; I declare they are not informal. Mr Petherick hore handed io a written protect, which the Heturning Odice's- received and acknowledged Mr Pcthedck : Do you press for reasons why these nominations are informal ? Mr Ames : You caa give them to me if you like. Mr Petherick : But it is for you to say whether or not the nominations are informal, Mr Ames : Then I Bay they are not informal. Mr Petherick then turned up the Regulation of Local Elections Act, IB7d, and read the 11th clause, which provides that iu the election of Mayor the nomination papers shall be “by two ratepayers.*' “ You will see {he added) that the nomination papers are illegal, because they have more than two signatures on them. The Act provides that there shad be only two.” Mr Ames: Does it say “ only two ? Let me see where it says that. Mr Petherick : air, it is not for me to post you up in the law. It is as I have stated. At this juncture MrC, Hendry 7 , who attended Mi Petherick, made some remark. Mr Ames, turning to that gentleman, said ; I don t know that you have any right here at all. You are not even a ratepayer. Mr Petherick (soothingly) ; Oh, I brought him up here as a witness. Mr Ames (indicating the reporters) : You have got plenty of witnesses here. Mr Petherick : Well, I didn't know they would he here. Mr Ames : But you brought them here yourself. Mr Petherick: Well, I have nothing more to say. I repeat, the nomina* tions are informal. Mr Ames ; And 1 say they are not. Mr Petherick; I say thenomiaa tion papers are not In the terms of the schedule, and I claim to be elected iu consequence. However, I have handed in my protest. Mr Ames : You may protest away. I can’t help your claim, but I decline to de dare you elected, Mr Petherick. Mr Ames added (presumably by iyay of a hint): I am now engaged writing the advertisements fop the papers if that is all you have to say, Mz Petherick : You decline, you say t .Mr Ames: ¥es. Mr Petherick said “Very well, he did not wish to say any more/’ and the interview terminated.