LOCAL OPTION POLLS

Waikato Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1499, 5 March 1903, Page 2

LOCAL OPTION POLLS

(UY TKLKOBAPH —PEKSS ASSOCIATION.) Dunedin, Last Night. Me Jtomck Williams, in giving his decision in favour of an application for prohibitioo to restrain Mr C. C Graham, S.M., from proceeding to hear the Chalmers licensing petition on the ground that he had no jurisdiction, said he thought the. reference in sections 12 and 18 of the Regulation of Local Elections Act was to the magistrate who usually presided in the Court, and that powess were conferred upon such magistrates, and not upon any magistrate who, at the request of or by arrangement with the magis trate usually presiding, presides in his stead. • No doubt it was possible to imagine cases in which it would be difficult or impossible to say what particular magistrate was referred to, bin in the present case there was no difficulty in ascertaining that Mr Carew and not Mr Graham was the magistrate at Port Chalmers. Plaintiff was entitled to a writ of prohibition, with £\s costs and disbursements to be paid by the defendants other than Mr Graham. Wellington, List Night. A deputation from the New Zealand Allianco to-day waited on the actingColonial Secretary and urged that the returning officer for Newtown at the recent loual option poll bo not appointed returning officer at the coming licensing committee elections. The Minister promised to consult the Colonial Secretary on the matter. A largely-attended indignation meeting was held at Newtown last evening, when resolutions were passed condemnatory of the decision which resulted in the voiding of the Newtown local option poll and urging the necessity fur an alteration of the law.