ELECTION OFFENCES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8256, 22 December 1911, Page 3

ELECTION OFFENCES.

ALLEGED INTERFERENCE WITH

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, December 21. Several young men were' charged m the Police Court to-day with having interfered with, voters at the Franklin Road booth on election day. Mr Endean appeared for the defendants, and announced that he intended to raise the point that the proceedings were not well founded. The facts were that on the day m question, at the Ponsonby booth, various people were working m the interests of, the Liberty .League.. They took the elector's number from the roll and put it on the back of a card that was being distributed m the interests of the Liberty League. Mr Endean pointed out that the prosecution was laid under the' Legislature Act and the Licensing Act. The former dealt only witli the election of members of Parliament, and the provisions of the Licensing Act did not apply m these proceedings. Before proceedings could be taken under the Licensing Act it would have to be shown that the interference affected the result of the poll, and the Minister's authority would have to be obtained to institute proceedings. Evidence:, as to the facts was taken m a case against one of the defendants, who admitted distributing cards m the interests of the Liberty League. The Sub-Inspector of Police said that it was not suggested that any attempt had been made to influence electors by word of mouth or that the influence by means of the cards had anything to do with the election of members of Parliament. He remarked that it would be a dangerous thing if such action as that objectedl to were allowed to pass unchecked, because if one side were to, be* permitted to adopt such tactics, the other side also would have to be permitted to do the same thing. j This afternoon Mr Cutten, m giving his decision, said that the case was a matter of extreme public importance, and he had not the slightest doubt that the defendant's action was intended as an offence. "I don't see my way to inflict a fine," said his Worship, "but I certainly think the matter is one that should be taken to the Supi'eme Court." He added that he was not actually dismissing the case, but he did not think that it had come before him m proper form. Ho would, therefore, adjourn all the.other cases pending until after the heuring of a possible appeal. In reply to his Worship, the SubInspector said that an appeal was highly probable,