MISSING VOTES.

IN LYTTELTQN ELECTION. BELIEVED TO BE LOST. SEAMEN'S VOTES DISALLOWED. (Ry Telegraph.—l'ress Association.) : CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. The six absentee votes on which, the Lyttelton election hangs as between Mr. McCombs.(L) and Mr. Lyons (G) are believed to be lost. There is a possibility that they have slipped .by error into a bundle of licensing papers. These voting papers will be identified, if they are found, by comparing their numbers with those of the declarations under which they were claimed. The declarations are in the returning officer's possession, but the voting papers are not. Some very interesting'facts have come out in connection with the election. It appears that a number of seamen to whom seamen's permits had been issued found themselves in Lyttelton on the day of the poll, and voted at local booths. Their votes, however, have been disallowed, and it is presumed that this action was taken under the clause which provides that unless a seaman in such a case produces his permit for endorsement his vote is invalid.

Of course rumour is very busy in connection with the election, and it seems certain that whoever niay be declared elected a very searching recount will follow the present proceedings. In the meanwhile it is impossible to say when a final decision will be reached.

ilr. "M. E. Lyons, Reform candidate, said to-day that in view of the closeness of the election there would be a magisterial recount.

THE WAIMABINO COUNT. A CLOSE FINISH. (By Telegraph.—l'ress Assoctatlou.j TAUMARUNUI, this dayFinal figures for Waimarino are: — . Smith .; .: 3745 Langstone 3600 Informal .;'...".. ....'. 40 There are twenty-two absent votes to come, but these cannot affect the result.

SIR JOSEPH'S -WIS. OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. (By Telcsrnph.— Press .Association.) INVERCARGILL, this day. The official announcement of the final result of the Invercargill election is Ward, 4957; Hargest, 4798; Hickey, 811. Ward's majority is 159. •