OPPOSITION METHODS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15219, 5 March 1915, Page 6

OPPOSITION METHODS.

THE SET AT MR HESABE.

AX INTERESTING REVELATION.

THE PETITION DISMISSED. 0 ;

(rRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WHANGAREI. March 4. At the hearing or the petition iv cotk nexion with the Northern Maori elec- - tion, Mr Prendergast called evident* to show that thirty Voters turned up -. v" at Karakanui on election day, but no -:. .-. returning officer arrived; also that had,•- - ---• polling booth been provided 136 people * -,'„ would have voted at Wikeriwhi. 3 Hemnna said he ua& chief man at '«, Karakunui. He made attempts to ob- - *' tain a deputy returning officer with- ./; out avail. It was too late then to go *\\ to any other booth. On'}* nine voted S J i at Karakanui at the IPH election, be»ri"'; cause nearly nil went to a weddiug at./? 4 Port Albert. J ■--"'; •Other corroborated tb.ii •"•■ evidence. .. "';■£ The Court, after v long consultation, threw out the petition on the ground* ', Jj\ that the number ot would-be TOte'rj -J& who hud hoe:! deprived of their votee *€j| ! was not sufficient to affect the result •jjjj of the election. Tail Henare's jnajor^'.^'f 5 ly was well established, and the Court 'V""*woald certify Tau Honare * -- returned for the bent. 1 ";: - - •Mr Heed asked lor oos-i. -'"HfrurS«ispecial circiimstajicos. Ho . dqdargd-\-"s Lj that the petitioner-, knew .that-tA*£, V"; v "., could'not. succeed. ' ~?y, ""{ .Mr Prcndergjst said the irregulan-S'-. , . ties admitted formed a proper sobjecfc-, t for" investigation, and tbo petitioner! < £ w were therefore justified. ~ ' ( . Mr Read declared that the petition.- ;- was presented for other purposes than investigation. He said- that at'-the, :.*;' meeting of the Mormon * Synod •at j fe Jv Harp mentioned in the erjdence. '. Paroone Kawitl. in the presencffof 1W u $ . people, declared to Tau £* unless he votod with the Opposition » i<( X petition against his return would-b6 (r - ---presented. After the petition was prf-;v£ | sented Mr Denchy, the Liberal ■ organiser, auproaehed Henare and fered to -withdraw it if Honare ~-„. Ed to support, the Opposition. . *" ( " Mr Prendergaet denied the '. et*t#r *' nicnt. and the Court tlecJded* to Jjear '. - ; evidence. ' •--"'.'■»'* Tau llonare, on oath, itaid .he.."wa* J present at the meeting of the Monao*VSynod, but not as a Aiormon.'on Janu-*r ary 4th. Th? meeting was open. Parnono Kawiti. one of the petitioner*,' - was present. He offered witness not to present the petition if he irouW \ rote for the Opposition. Wtaie» Wjv plied that he would not answir urtyj.' he haJ culled a meeting of the 'old, 'V men." *"' ~* , *. '•- Cross-fvamincd. He».ir t » don'wi ln&t t £ he hud boon .ipproutlied by liotli polity? ' cal parties up to the time of thp j.' Replying to Mr Ju»tice Hoekinp;. Mf-j^- , .- Prendergast haid tho word "approach-;- Vi ed" uns not .u."-ed iv a &inistor sense; . Henare, turther cross-examined, saift , ho was only approached by one party. . - Kawitif at tho Synod, expressed a per-' -~ sonal politiral lesninz. and a*ked tft* . 2 chairman of tho meeting to enquire, v witness was prepared to say to th*. ■ meeting which side of the House nnt* t ' l would Mip]>orr. Witnev. replied to ,-> Kawiti that lie had heard that a pc»- -; < t tion wuk being frot up. but he irou , * not answer until after the petition hurt .1 been hoard, and he had mot the peoplo .. who had elected him. Kawiti t>aid hn would withdraw tho petition if witnwt; . * voted Jor the Opixiiition. 3lr .Denehy » ■" said tho samo. . *. ' -, Mr Dene!:v :iot br>:iig "too >n 'no petition, the" Court held that evidence : regarding what be hsul said to T3O, t«. Henare wns inadniit> , >ible. /-•'. • The Court then adjourned to Aucfc- ,A land to consult authority with jegafd *.. to the circumstmce? covenng f~x costs.