Lighting issue
At a meeting of the St Kilda Borough Council last evening, Mr W. Clarke wrote drawing attention to the condition of the lighting at the corner of Tahuna Rd and Lawyer’s Head Rd. There were no lights near this corner and, as the traffic was heavy, it was a danger to the residents. Unless a light were placed on the corner, there was a probability of a serious accident occurring at any time. The Mayor said it was well known that the corner was dangerous. The question was now being considered by the City Council and, if a light were installed as requested, the St Kilda Council would be prepared to pay its share of the cost.
Māori seats decided
Polling in the four Maori constituencies will take place today. The polls will close at 4pm, and it is expected that the results will be made known during the evening. It is generally expected that all four of the last Parliament’s members will be returned, though there may be some doubt as to the result in the Southern Maori electorate, where there are no fewer than five candidates and a minimum number of electors. There are 454 polling booths — 155 in the Western District, 132 in the Eastern District, 101 in the Northern, and only 36 in the Southern. The qualification in the case of a Maori is bona fide residence within an electoral district, and there is no provision for absentees voting outside their own electorate. The registration of a Maori or halfcaste on a European roll on the fact of his having been registered and having voted at a European election within the preceding 12 months disqualifies him from voting at the Maori election. Maori electors are required to enter the polling booth one by one. The voter’s name, tribe, hapu, and place of residence is asked and written on the ballot paper by the deputy returning officer, and then he is asked for which candidate he wishes to vote. The name of the favoured candidate is written on the ballot paper by the deputy returning officer, who signs the paper, his signature being witnessed by his associate. Natives are prohibited from being served with liquor on polling day.
Food poisoning
On Saturday night several of the boarders residing at a boarding-house at 145 Union St kept by Mrs M. Munro were attacked with vomiting, severe pains, and dizziness. Dr G. Fitzgerald, who was promptly called, diagnosed the trouble as ptomaine poisoning, and so acute was the agony of five of the sufferers that they were at once taken by motor to hospital. Those admitted to hospital were James Duffy, John Lang, Jackson Munro, Nicholas Howie and Marna Dickson, the first four being middle-aged men, and the last-named a girl of 17. The four men were discharged this morning and, at the latest advice, the girl was progressing favourably.
— ODT, 3.11.1925 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)
