MAORIS' DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 227, 24 September 1943, Page 4

MAORIS' DAY

"WHARE POOTI"

RECORDING THE VOTES

All roads for the Maori people led to the "whare pooti" to-day for the election of four Maori members to the House of Representatives, the polls as usual being held on the day before the general election. The poll closes at 5 o'clock. It is expected that the results will be known early this evening.

Auckland city and most of the suburbs are in the Northern Maori electorate, the headquarters of the chief returning officer being at Kaikohe.

The Western Maori electorate is the western portion of the North Island from the northern boundary of Otahuhu borough, and the southern shores of the Manukau Harbour to Wellington. Tne Eastern Maori electorate is centred in Gisborne, and takes in the Rotorua and Taupo districts. The fourth electorate is Southern Maori.

Nine candidates "were nominated for the Northern Maori seat, six for Western Maori, and four for Southern Maori. Eastern Maori nominations were confined to two candidates. In Auckland city, the principal polling places were at Avondale, the Manchester Unity Hall (Hobson Street), the Native Department building in Emily Place, and at Orakei, Panmure, Westfield, and Onehunga. There were polling places for Western Maori electors in the vicinity of Auckland, at Mangere and Otahuhu. Weather conditions in the city were about as bad as they could be, with a high wind and continuous driving rain. Despite this, however, there was steady voting this morning at the various booths. The procedure was for the elector to state to the officer in charge of the "whare pooti" his or her name, age, tribe, sub-tribe, place of abode, and "whether his or her name appeared on any European roll. When the returning officer was satisfied on these points, the elector received a ballot-paper, and retired behind a screen to vote.

Towards midday there 'was considerable activity at Orakei, where the "whare pooti" was the large hall on the flat. A high wind with rain swept the bay, and conditions were most impleasant. Owing to the damp conditions some of the electors arrived at the polling booth barefooted. The Maori electors exercised their franchise without outward show of excitement, although the native love for a korero manifested itself.