TAKAPUNA LICENSING ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 76, 8 April 1885, Page 2

TAKAPUNA LICENSING ELECTION.

Proceedings for Its Nullification,

Mis H. G. S. Smith, R.M., sat at the E.M. Court this morning for the purpose of hearing, in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation of Local Elections Act, petitions for the declaring void of the recent Takapuna Licensing elections. The petitions were two in number, the petitioners in the first being Samuel Vosper, a candidate, and R. C. Greenwood and A. Wright; and in the second, James Mays, a candidate. The reasons sot forth in the petitions for the declaring void of the elections were substantially the same, though clothed in different verbiage. The reasons set forth by the petitions were: 1. That the notice of the time of the election was not given within the time required by " The Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876." 2. That certain irregularities occurred in the proceedings which tended to defeat the fairness of the election, to wit:— (a) That the Returning Officer, by separate public notices, appointed different daya upon which the polling should take place, and thereby misled several voters. (J) That the Deputy Returning Officer at the Lake gave to certain of the voters more than one voting paper, and allowed the said voters to exercise more than one vote, contrary to the provisions of the Act, 1881. (c) That the Deputy Returning Officer at the Birkenhead polling booth gave to certain of the voters more than one votfng paper, and allowed the Baid voters to exercise more than one vote, contrary to the provisions of the Licensing Act. (rf) That each of the deputy returning officers did not immetely after the close of tho poll seal up all the papers used in his book, together with the copy roll marked as required, and delivered to the Returning Officer, (e) That the Returning Officer did not Beal all such packets in the same condition as they were recoived by him, and transmit the whole to the clerk of the nearest R. M. Court. (/) That the Returning Officei for the said elec- . tion held a scrutiny of the votes polled at the Lake and Birkenhead booths, being booths at which he could not be present in person, and for each of which he had appointed a deputy, and struck out the votes, or some of them, of some of the voters who voted at these places. 3. That certain voters - to wit, James Black, Benjamin Menary, Richard Cameron, John Roberton, Alfred Poiter, A. Mackay, Robert Mackay, and — Harrow, or some of them gave more votes than they were entitled to give at the said election.—Mr A. E. Whitaker appeared for the petitioners, and Mr Theo. Cooper for the Committee. The petitions having been read and the proceedings formally opened, Mr Whitaker applied for an adjournment till Tuesday, the 14th. Mr Cooper concurred, and the adjournment was granted.