PORTOBELLO.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 4 March 1882, Page 13

PORTOBELLO.

(from our own correspondent.) February 27th.

The nomination of candidates for election to

the licensing committee was held here on Wednesday last, when the following gentlemen were duly nominated :— Messrs James Muir, W. Geary, sen., John Geary, sen., W. A. Wilson, T. Porterfield, Andrew Mercer, sen. There was one informal paper, that nominating W. Leslie, it being signed by only one elector. Very little interest was taken in the affair, only one other person besides the candidates and officers being present. From what I can learn of the Act, it is somewhat peculiar. For instance, a man may vote, but he cannot be elected, and he may be disqualified from either voting or being elected in his own district, yet he can be elected for another district. And another instance of the peculiar nature of the Act is that making it ■imperative (as I read it) that a poll shall be taken in this year (1882), such poll to stand good for three years, to determine whether there shall be any new licenses issued or not. Apparently, no application can be made for a new license except in this year, and every three years thereafter. The poll takes place on Tuesday, the 7th March, between 9 and 6 o'clock, at the Road Board office, Portobello, to elect five committeemen. We have had Queen's weather for four or five days back, at which every other man you meet expresses his delight that it is fine weather for the races, never thinking that there is such a thing as a harvest to be gathered throughout the country. I see we have some lucky sporting men among us, as some prizes are coming to JPortobello. The Assessment Court sits at the Koadoffice on the 9th March at 1 o'clock. The Road Board met on Saturday last, and, for a wonder, business went on somewhat better than usual. The only matter of any interest that came before the Board was the

report from the Government in re Mr Seaton's charges against the Board, made some Bix or eight months ago. The most conspicuous thing i in the report was the almost entire absence of any allusion to the charges made in the communication the Board received from the Go-

| vernment in July last. The report dealt with fiaome other charges, made apparently to the

gentlemen employed by the Government by Mr Soaton at some time subsequent to the first charge. I am not suro whether it may not all yet appear in the papers, so I will not say any more about it just now. Ultimately a resolution was carried that Mr Seaton be called upon to pay the expenses of the audit, as in the letters he addressed the Government he stated he would pay the expense if he did not substantiate the charges he made. I wish the Board may get the money, but I doubt it. Evidently tho most of them have not the will to push our M.H.R. in the matter. The following amount stands to the credit of tho Board in tho Bank up to date :— £lo4 6s 3d.