BAY OF ISLANDS SEAT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 279, 24 November 1928, Page 12

BAY OF ISLANDS SEAT.

"THERE WILL BE A RECOUNT."

COUNTRY PARTY VIEWPOINT. MR. ROBINSON INTERVIEWED. "Although I have not been informed officially, I am quite sure that there will be a recount of the votes cast in the Ray of Islands electorate," was the reply which was made to a representative of the "Auckknd Star" by Mr. A. E. Robinson, secretary of the New Zealand Fanners' Union, when he was questioned to-day concerning the election of Mr. Allen Bell on the casting vote of the returning officer as against Mi*. H. M. Rushworth, the Country party candidate, who had up to the last held the lead.

Asked if he had any comment to make on the situation,'" Mr. Robinson replied: "1 have only to state that it is unf 'tunate that a parcel of votes should be found after our scrutineer had left, and when everything was supposed to be settled, nine days after the election. The Country party can hardly be expected to feel satisfied."

"What do you mean by unfortunate? Is that a complaint?" was asked.

"Not exactly a complaint confined to the Bay of Islands," said Mr. Robinson. "It applies to most electorates, and even to the licensing poll. I am not clear as to the postal votes under the new system. It should not be possible for parcels of votes to go astray. If live or six votes are astray —there does rot even seem to be certainty of the number, for the 'Star' mentions an informal vote which other papers ignore—then there appears no certainty that other parcels of votes have not gone astray. There should bo no doubt at all, and if the system at present in use leaves doubt it is a bad system. All postal votes should be accountable."

"Have you any remarks to make on the actual recount?" the pressman inquired.

"It may show that those electors out of the district are not fully in touch with the political position," Mr. Robinson replied. "The first count of postal votes ou election day gave 52 to Bell, four to Hornblow, and 10 to Rnshworth. Apparently 304 more votes have come in, though the number given as still to come was 350, There can hardly have been 4fl informal votes. Hornblow appears to have received 54 of these later postal votes, Rnshworth S4, and Bell 100, which is a considerable alteration in proportions."

In conclusion Mr. Eobinson remarked that the spirit in which the opponents of the Country party had acted left much to be desired. In support of this view he quoted from a circular headed ''Final Word," issued by one of the candidates. It says: "Don't be misled into the belief that the Country party can benefit this electorate by returning a candidate. It. is no use trying political experiments in the Bay of Islands nd Hokianga portions of this electorate. Return of a Country party candidate means isolation pure and simple, the cessation of public works, lack of financial assistance, and the ultimate spoliation of your country by going back into fern, scrub and second growth. Vote straight-out Liberal-Labour or Reform."

"If there were any truth in such statements," added Mr. Robinson, "it would be quite time we had another Government."