WESTERN MAORI SEAT.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17707, 8 March 1923, Page 7

WESTERN MAORI SEAT.

. prt iTlON AGAINST SIR \ * POMARE. S: ' - gfITING OF COURT AT T Al r BAN(iA. - MJV Sir Jlaui ot.ueer to induce mm Bifftlf Jr Jioui X-oniare or 1' rank HSLi itofeKeeper, ruueKoiiu, was H2»2i* jor iiiovtuiug meat and tor electors. Sir -uaui J.'omar« mm self or Hrfctfl PiUßed drink to tie provmeu ftotel, luuranga, tor eieesir Maui Pomare, on or HJa*wnticrii'i»,"ia weeing nc.u WSEfr, «» ear -xuuraiuyi, promised W.l*nM reiustatemeut ot persons II35(1110 Iwd pioviuusiy been emHfTiiit guoruy berore Wic election Di»i'iWiK| Uireotly or indtroctr Bf'Swred t"e ounstateitient of cernSimtwa o" tlw woiks. Blltrt »t Mulr's gold mine, near HjSLujnor about i\ovembor2Uth, Sir ■lifsßire or his agent committed HSrt prtrtices, viz., treating, brtbBftw wxiue influence to inuuee cerBltsttiDJ to Vote for him. BftWttir Maui Pomare, at various ■tolaTsranaki, himself, or through ■ja,'»hortlY before the election ■pMKd «i Native Minister, to inIlifonL damage, harta, or loss on ■ifa (lectors by excluding them from ■girt «f'beneficial native owners of lmown as Mokia and Haportfted in the Public Trustee Kfr the Wert Coast Settlement ReKkM then utwler treaty of sale H£ Cttwn, and from participation pnrdtase money, unless they ■$ Tint on or about November 4th Ht jMllii Pomare, at Manaia, offered Hmnited that certain electors should Brt&red from the payment of county Hi or that enforcement of payment HjJd be considerably delayed. HJO) Tbat Sir ilani Pomare, on or |Kt December 15th,. paid t£s or other sum to Ralph Grant, of Hjikura. for the hire of a motorJHfor tie conveyance of electors to in - Ifeeember Sir Maui |fl«Hjud £5 or some other sum |B ENHjeffij of Papakura, for the for the conveyance JKmmion or about August 18th ftniare" offered £2 or some {6 Itangi Majumaru, to infor him (Pomare). ■WIMt about August 18th WjgJw'&ttuuß himself or through IBNJtkfipefton' threatened to enHpibil'pncttre the cancellation of MMwuierpreters'.license held by claim b alternatively Sjl i dluNklleged corrupt practices j9P p* wnstittite corrupt practices, jHfejfe^* l "' Pomare was guilty- of ■KPUbM. The irregularities, MRP?* I ) and failures alleged are: 9»spiw deputy returning officers' Hfigl&ere in many cases active HjffSßir'Maui Pomare, and inVoters in the booths, and HK|sif|}atbe day of the election, HHlPy'r votes for Sir Maui H win certain coses the name affl* Toting paper was not Fettle candidate the elector day of the election, particu-1 ■Kg'r.W the Star Hotel, Tau- ! in a shed adjoining the ■RP> at Bell Block. HBk& H. 80tno ca߀3 e aßsoc^~ HBjSIMI? returning officer of a candidate on a HKKp°>iiil in many cases the HHrap r was n°t initialled as reHBs|jMijPttkekohe on election day drink were supplied to presumed to be Pomare. actPomare's advice as |HmKgu£ri (ailed to appoint pollrera'l P'aces where they HHuffirl although such HWkK* j»d oeen recommended. intimidation, mis■fd irregularities, preprior to the election election void. HHH9fp>M thronged with a large 8 from aJI parts of ordered from the Conway, Sir Maui opening Address. HKS&ttjMa opening, pointed out tOiu* cunuiuutes ior tne ■■BgS* 0 " yttax > bni tbe contest u duel betiveen oir HHk^ q iuitumi, tne termer 'Votes anu tue latter two votes bellle electorate was a one, t neie uemg y ti) l "6 wllole object of air *» detach supporters Uunsej uealt tu-bt witn! me re-empioy-at Matapun. He had passed bemare a "u the Hon. 0 * that blr ai " utHuence in the being that men were ■Pi^ eil <» would also be + * Sir iluui -I'oinai-e * ** nd certain dis- *?? quarter, HlK?*.kl^ 1v ' 6 interpreter's HP^lfcS d ._- unles3 Wang l huu. It w », 11 * be shown » that HpgC f>r Maui Pomare being that many & ? d one of the HBBTirt l^&r ared that ail of that a bottle of if 0 ! 11 Taukiwai at IHMKJ2 sllmvii Koht and that the f°i ated one, but was e:^ stem adopted c canv assing for Hnßs ? u Pplying ifqnor on elec-

tion ,-,i,y. whon the Act provided that natives must not be supplied on that day, was in the same direction. With rojrnrd to the general diary's of irregularities, evidence would be called deali/ifr with jKii.atud ,-ascs in connexion with the election. Hearing of Evidence. lhe lirst witness called was .Ngahuia a native woman, living at _viauuipLiii, near liiuiaiig«, wnu uat/ pi'e-ac-ni at a meeting v, m.a the mutter regarding employment was discussed, sue .-■aid tint .-Mi' .uaui i'oniare read telc--nnns and explained what had puaseil i,ct,\ccn linn ana tiie iion. J. C. Louies, and aiso promised Unit it "the i.iv.-. voted tor nun he would have tiitiii reniAluted. Jo Mi Myers: Witness stated that she vi.'is a loiluwer ot itutaua, senior, i.u<l v, a;. aL pivscnt at his pa on 'lauma;in Harbour. She had not heard el,' uii.itcr ot the evidence to be given ~l tnc i.eanng ot tiiu election j.elitLou :>t any meetings, certainly not at lueeiings. cilie was at i,alalia, near Inraluna, at Christmas time, but the matter of the evidence mi. not discussed were as far as she knew. r,.rthcr evidence was given by Jc-kani-a-lainatea reguiding a meeting held at Miitapihi on Sunday. November liith, when ;.Mr Maui Pomare was alleged to have promised that if support->-a. h<- would have ••the boys" back in their jobs. Witness said »ir Maui i-oiiiare titreatened that it he was returned lie would punish those who had r.pposcd him. I. fu:,s-e.\a mined by Mr O'Lcary, witness said there were about forty or lilty present, and when Sir Maui Pomare gathered that some supporters of isatana were present, he made the threat. Aii Unsatisfactory Witness. I'ou Ngutai, next witness, was examined at considerable length on the .-.ame linesOn cross-examination witness admitted making a statement to the petitioner and his solicitors, but denied making another statement later to Mr Jjlocjinuold, solicitor, Auckland, concerning Sir Maui Pomare and a native interpreter, and swore that the signatures to the three pages of statement produced by Mr Myers were not liis. Finally witness was ordered to stand down, his Honour remarking that not much credence could be given to his evidence, and that ho was not of much use tj either side. This witness also gave evidence ;e----gatding the bottle-ot beer, alleged to June been given to one Teirikia, of Mntapihi. He said he got three bottles of beer. Tliey were taken to a house at Alatapihi. where the beer was drunk by several natives. Teirikia came in, stood up, and said that one candidate was ten horse power and the" other thrte, and all had better vote for the teivhorse power man (Pomare). Kora Aperahama, of Thames, was tailed to give evidence of treating there on the polling day in support of the general allegation of undue influence, etc., throughout the electorate. There was considerable discussion between the bench and counsel ns to the admissibility of the evidence, and finally it was decided to postpone further discussion till the Court met in Auckland. The witness, therefore, stood down. An Alleged Bribe.

Itangi Marumaru, in his evidence, said he was :i licensed interpreter, living with liatana. Ho went to Wellington from Auckland in consequence of a message that Sir Maui Pomare wanted to see sint. On his arrival, he saw Pomare, who held several dishonoured cheques drawn by witness, and threatened to send them to the proper quarter, with a view to having witness's license cancelled unless he supported Pomare. On leaving ho received £2. from Pomare, for which he gave a receipt. It was admitted that it seemed strange that any man giving a bribe should take a receipt. Witness swore that after leaving-. Wellington his only letter to Pomare was one written ni September informing Pomare that he would not support him. and statins' that Pomare could do what he liked with the cheques. Later witness ndmitted that a letter dated August 25th to Pomare was written by him, promising Pomare his support and naming a committee to work ror Pomare. This witness was still under a severe cross-examination by Mr Myers when the Court adjourned till 9.30 a.m. tomorrow.