That, it being understood that one member of the Council for the coming year will leave the port and cease to [serve after a period of three months, and 'a4, under the Regulations, the Electors have now no opportunity to elect one or more Councillors at the Annual General Meeting, so that a vacancy may not occur:—It is hereby recommended that, on the vacancy occurring with the departure of the Councillor above referred to, the remaining members of the Council forego the power of ce-option vested in them, and H.M.'s Consul is requested to call ing of electors to elect a new member or members of the Council to fill the vacancy."
Mr. Hillier remarked that the three gentlemen who served during 19% had expressed their willingness to serve on the Council for 1905. They had presented led] themselves as candidates in accordance with the Regulations and had been declared duly el no other candidates having ome forward. He took it to be equivalent to x vote of confidence in them that the electors allowed them to stand withen: opposition and thought they were to be congratulated, But there was one point that struck him. If there should be a d vacancy the Regulatins gave the remaining members s right to ce-opt an elector fill it. He thought the Regulation was only intended to meet sudden and unforeseen cases of vacancy. It was intonded. that Councillors should serve for a year, and those who presented themselves x; their willingness to serve for one whole year. But, in the present case, 'a vacancy was foreseen and would probably occur in three months, and, in the event of such a yaoaney, the electors wer deprived of " right which naturally be lovged to them uuleas the Council sh:-ull forego its power of ce-option upon thnt vacancy occurring. In assauting to the candidature of the gentleman in question the electors were denied their full privi exes. He.made no reflections agai anyone His action was b-sed on principle which he thought important, and hi position appeared ty him rrasouahle.
After some remarks by Mr. Bmith iv support of the, Chairman remarked that Mr. Smith had leon the proposer of une of the members of the Council,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.