TO WRONG SIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 113, 16 May 1933, Page 7

TO WRONG SIDE.

REFERENDUM VOTES. 1280 "No" Papers Credited to

"Yes" Total. DISCOVERY AT BOTANY. (United P.A.-Elcetric Telegraph-Copyright) (Received 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. A rccheck of the referendum votes in Botany disclosed the fact that about 1280 "No" votes had been wrongly credited to the "Yes" side. The figures for Botany on Sunday night were given as "Yes" 7620, "No" 11,740, but as the result of yesterday's check counts the figures are "Yes"" 6340, "No" 13,034. The affirmative majority in the referendum now is 20,942. "While the ballot is under suspicion because the Government went out of its way to prevent scrutineers," said Mr. J. T. Lang, referring to the mistake at Botany, "a similar mistake in eight of the 90 seats, if discovered, would turn the apparent "Yes" majority into a verdict against the Government. "That similar mistakes, accidental or deliberate, have been made in more than eight electorates iii very evident." The Attorney-General, Mr. Manning, replies: "There is no justification for the suggestion that a mistake of this sort might be general because of the absence of scrutineers. Mistakes, of course, are possible under any system, but the efficiency of the present system is demonstrated by the fact that this mistake was discovered in time and corrected. It is proof of the sufficiency, not the insufficiency, of the check." The referendum count was continued yesterday and further favoured the Government. Twelve thousand postal and absent votes were checked and twothirds of them were for the reform of the Legislative Council, the remainder being in the negative. The final result will not be known for several days, but the forecast by the Premier, Mr. B. S. Stevens, that the referendum will be carried by a majority of 30,000, is likely to be fulfilled.