THE ELECTORAL LAW.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2403, 19 January 1909, Page 5

THE ELECTORAL LAW.

AN IMPORTANT DECISION

[Peess Association.]

IvELSON, Jim. 18

In the prosecution for alleged false enrolment of electors, an important ruling was given b.v the Magistrate (Air. Eyre Kenny) to day. The Charge was against Thus.' Lorenzo Alfred, a Mormon missionary,who was alleged to have answered in the affirmative' the dec'- 1 ration that he was a Briti h subject. The Magistrate found that- the wording on the application for an er-rclment form differed considerably fr >m the wording of the Acts of 1900 end 1998, and he ImM that thereby a misunderstanding might easily be occasioned, and dismissed the ease. Air. Fell, soke-tor for the Crown, raid that the ruling, if upheld, would effect- enrolment tin iiiis throughout the Dominion, and might have affected all the elections.

At the -Magistrate’s Court tc-day. Harry Atmore, an -unsuccessful candidate for the Nelson seat at the general election, was charged by the Registrar of electors with wilfully misleading him in the compilation or the electoral redd by causing to be enrolled the names of Thcs. Lorenzo. Alfred imd Oliver Theodore Led sou. in respect of -a false qualification, knowing them not to be British subjects by birth or naturalisation in New Zealand. Defendant pleaded not guilty, and contended that- in asking the question specified in the forms of enrolment to which, he said, ne received affirmative replies, he had complied with the 'law. The -Mu-gistrate said he did no,, doubt- that the defendant's version was the correct one. but lie took time to consider -.if a technical breach baa been committed.