MUNICIPAL POLLS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14416, 11 April 1911, Page 5

MUNICIPAL POLLS.

..—♦ PETITION FOR A BOOTH. RULED OUT. At tlio meeting of tho Borough Coun. <H last night Councillor Angland i presented a petition signed by JOO Or nioro workers in tho grain and w«')l stores and on tho wharves, who nsked ttiat a polling bo otn bp ~rl, rln .jd, )u - for thorn «itlu,r m «io Union •Joniuany'a office on tllo arf> ju Wl . IK c L / n . bull s spii.ro office, or in tho Waterside .npruers' Shod. Councillor Watson -aid it ma rcce*. and lihJu* "° UCe , °f flU< " a Petition, to look tho point up. Inr Ul Ci, i°° X - 3 '? fKVOUrof Cl 11 til- , lor Angland prceoodmg, t .„3 ],„ Boni i on to propose tt motion (which Councllor Itaymond aecondod) that th* Returning Officer bo recommended to a probability of two Homo bc..t* bsirn in on election day, snd it uoukl bo - o great convenience to Urn vcifcor* mndy to their work, Ho thoagbt tJb« recommendation should bo iciveaeffegt tug thcro had boon some talk about his notion in ruling that the Council ' ana no right to dictate to tho Returning ofheer. This boing so ho had ' obtained tho opinion of Messrs P«rry, Jerry and Knnernoy who now advisS that tho position ho had taken up waa tne correct one. ,-„Pnrc ott<lr - state<l Bt *""> Rotumuiy Officer is n. statutory offioer and ™tfLf° 'F^ TSere J with by tho local authority, the performance of his duties Iwaug regulated by statute. The SJresonratiou of tho indopendonoo of such officers was one of tho guiding principles of the law of elections, and nny attempt to interfere with it, would be both illegal and improper. Tho powers of tho local authority in respent of the duties of such officer began . and ended with his appointment or Councillor Watson: Hear. hear. Councillor Raymond said this letter did not affect the motion. There waa no desire to interfere with tho Return* mg Ofhcor j they were merely making a recommendation, and as a matter of courtesy the Returning Officer should comply ,v:th the expressed wish of Councillors. The Mayor said the whole thing waa ' out of order, and in saying this, lie waa . fortified by the letter from the solici- - tors. It would he most improper to interfere with the Returning Officer and so long as he was in tho char ho would see that the interests of tho people of limaru were protected in this and all other respects. If any Councillors did lint like it they knew what to do. To • ' interfere with the Returning Officer ' would he to introduce n form of Tammanyism, and he would not allow • i that or any form of intimidation. 1$ they had lost 'confidence in Mr V;rtuo they should dismiss him; they oonld not do. anything else. It was' a very bad tiling for any Councillor to movo in such a matter or interest himself in ' such a' petition. ' , ; < - Councillor Angland vigorously denied. • \ that he had done so, and demanded ' that the Mayor shoufd withdraw this etatoment. Tho'Mayor said ho would not withdraw tho remark for ho knew Coun- ■ " cillor Angland had interested himsalf in tho matter. , Councillor Raymond said ho thought the Mayor was greatly exaggerating tho' position. Councillor Angland said Be had »• thought' of interfering with 1b( Returning Officer. , Councillor Snlterthwaito pointed end , that no objection hod been taken to - the polling booths (as already adTertia* ed) for,tho loan proposals, and as ihejr'id not include a booth on the beach or wharf, there could bo no necessity for one thero for tho municipal elections. • Councillor Angland was proceeding to ypeak further when the • Mayor abruptly stopped him and called for thd | next business, at the sumo linw- adding that ; Mr Virtue could be depended upon to do wlniT was ri'dff and prober. > Councillor Heck askeil when Mr Virtue was appointed Returning officei', ord Councillor Aiighmd demanded" to see the resolution aupoiutiu;; him. Mr Virtue produced tli- d"<d of appointment dated March 30, I'Kl.j. • Councillor Harney: That s quito sufficient: Councillor Beck wanted In know ho* lung the appointment was for, and the Mayor replied: Until the Cou'nofl terminated it. , The ordinary business was then tftkoa.