THE WESTERN MAORI ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2498, 11 May 1909, Page 5

THE WESTERN MAORI ELECTION.

HEARING OF PETITION. *•, • • *

[Pick Press Association.]

' HAMILTON, May 10. Pepene Eke,tone’s petition against Henare Kaihau’s election for the Western Maori electorate was heard this afternoon, before Judges Edwards and Cooper. Mr, F. Earle appeared on behalf of the petitionefs, and Mr. C. J. Parr for the respondent. Mr. i 5. Warbrick appeared for Mr. Grace, the returning officer, whom their Honors ruled was a respondent, as charges were made against him throughout the whole election. v ;

Mr. Earle, in opening the case, said that the chief grounds of the petition were that the polling places had not been published in the Maori Gazette on eight different days prior to the day of polling; that voting papers had not been, issued to each elector; that no time or, times for issuing such papers had been stated; that places where the polling should have taken place were not used for such purposes; and that other places were used in substitution. tr. Earle also stated that 110 voting papers were returned without names of candidates being filled in, the electors in many cases not being afforded the opportunity of filling them in. He contended that these were irregularities and were flagrant Breaches of the law, and it could not be said that the election had been carried out according to statute. In more' than one case the place at which the polling should have taken place had been changed to one distant some miles, and in one instance a poll actually took place on the open road, no house being used.. Judge Edwards asked how much the election cost, and it was stated in reply that the cost ran into well over a thousand pounds. *Mr. Earle submitted that the Act had been infringed by allowing more than one Maori to be present in the booth at one time. If their Honors held that according to common rules this election in substance was invalid, well and good, but if, on the other hand, they held that the irregularities complained of were not sufficient to destroy the election as an election, then it would be for the other side to show that the irregularities were such as con’d 'not possibly have affected the result of the poll.' Counsel’s opening address lasted ail the afternoon, and the Court adjourned til ten o’clock next morning.