ROAD BOARD ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8465, 7 May 1889, Page 3

ROAD BOARD ELECTIONS.

The Road Board Aot requires that the annual elections shall take place during tbe first week in May; bnt it also provides that the election! shall take place on the new rolls, whioh are to be supplied by the Property Tax Department. These rolls not being yet prepared, the Chairman of one of the Bead Boards in Auckland addressed a telegram to the Property Tax Commissioner, asking what roll the Road Bt ard eleotions were to be held upon. Mr Sperrey's telegram, which we published the other day, said that an extension of time should be asked. Many of the elections have already taken plaoe on the old rolls' which are the only ones in existence, and other meetings are taking place. Mr Thomas Seaman, as Secretary of several Boards in Auckland that are affected, has, says the Star, sent the Conmissioner the following telegram :— - To the Property Tax Commissioner. — Re the Road Board elections. Your telegram to Andrew Jaok bas beeu published as a " Warning to Road Boards." In compliance with the Road Board Act, section 31, the, eleotions are taking place on the same day in the first weak of May as in 1886, and most of them have been already decided by nominees without any contest. All others are advertised for Saturday morning Or Tuesday next. Will, these eleotions pot be legal ? If not, can they not be validated by the Government by Order-in-Council?— Thomas BIAMAN. In reply, Mr Seaman received the following :— Your telegram of the 2nd asks legal questions to which I cannot undertake to reply.— J. Sfebbbt, Commissioner. From this it appears that the Commissioner having thrown an apple of discord among the local Boards by expressing one legal opinion will not help them out of their troubles by offering another. Under these circumstances Mr Seaman thought he would try tbe AttorneyGeneral. Sir Frederick Whitaker, however, on being approached, was waxy. The matter, he said, was not in his department. Mr Seaman must apply to the Colonial Secretary, .which be has accordingly done. While the question is thus left in this unsatisfactor> state, without making any Eretenc9 to legal lore, we would unesitatingly advise Boards to go on with their elections as required by law on tht* rolls tbat are available, leaving the Government to rectify any irregularity by Order- in-Council or Act, if such a process should hereafter be found necessary.