LOCAL OPTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2862, 20 January 1909, Page 15

LOCAL OPTION.

THE MASTERTON PETITION. VICTORY FOR NO-LICEXSE. MASTERTON, January 12. The inquiry regarding the petition for upset tinor tlie recent ltocal option poll was resumed ihis morning. Evidence was given at considerable length as to the procession of motor cars on the mcrniug of the poll. Some witnecces were positive they saw the procecfion after 9 o'clock. The cars were alleged to be attracting attention by blowing their lidttp, and th» first two cars in the pro^cvs'nn carried flags inscribed ''Yotv for Xo-lic:n*c." Other TrrMi-:&3e* for the petitioners alleged that placards bearing such inscriptions a-i ' Motliera, beware of your boys " nad been placed on the hoa.rdxngs in different parts of the town, and had) mot been removed on polling da.y. Evident? of certain irregularities at one of the polling booths wa« given, such as the ibsue of second voting papers, the spoilt paper being retained and- placed in a u^alcd envelope. 'I he magistrates adjourned to consider the po-irion. and announced that the petition was diemLssed, without calling on the other side to adduce eviden-cp. In. regard to costs, counsel were allowed 20gs and -witnesses' expenses according to Fcale.

Tho acting warden at Marble Bar, West Australia, telegraphed a few days ago that the pohce patrol had reported the discovery at Taiga Taiga of another large nug*?pt, weighing salb avoirdupois pure gold. The find was made about 20 yards from the place a 720z nugget was found the previous week, An ancient custom has Been revived «.t Chard, Somerset, in connection with the annual Court Baron of the lord of the manor, Earl Pouletfc, IfOrcf Poulett with the counters, formerly Mi& Sylvia, Storey, the actrf>-.s, attended & meet of the hounds at Chard. The first hare killed was sent to Chard for the dinner of the Court Baron jury at night. A party net-fishingr for flounders near Kaka Pomt one night last week pulled ashore in separate hauls two 3 - ourig sharks between 4ft and sft in length. It is quite a common thing (reports the Clu,th^ Leader) to have three or four smaller ones, a loot and under, in a haul. A few yeaTs ago sharks weie quite unknown along the coast line there, but during the' last two or three years they appear to have become rather numerous. •