LOCAL ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17749, 28 April 1923, Page 13

L OCAL ELECTIONS.

CONGRATULATED. CHECKING THE ROLLS. . i A. Flesher, the Mayor-elect ,(Jristcburch, was inundated yesterf *ith congratulatory tele-rams and Lge. from nil parts of the Do"itloi Upon his success at Thursday's \ Prom the fact that telegrams L received by Mr Fleslur from at a considerable dNtan.-e from Utchurch, it is apparent that, int in the contest for the Christt,reh Mayoralty was widespread, ''rtj Prime Minister, Mr Massey, ..iKtaphed: "Accept my hearty conitions on your election to the fportant position of Mayor of ChristjLb and also my best wishes lor , rery Successful term of office in the Hon. Sir Heatou Ehodes, Minis- ,,, of Defence, telegraphed: ; 'Hearty i. TatDlations on your weli--.v0.-i vicfff " n e Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Edition, telegraphed: "My hearty Lrratulations and best wishes for a Lessful term of office." jl,,flon. W. Downic Stewart, linns- ,,, of Internal Affairs,- telegraphed: "fleartv congratulations on your win. tfjjivou successful term of office." The Mayors of Auckland, Hawera, ,i Kaiapoi also sent congratulatory SLmm. Mr E. E. Darnell, a WeiLton district public man, telegraphj. "Congratulations to Christchurch oj its Mayor." from Mr T. D. Harman the follower was received: "The Christ's ColJjeOld Boys' Association have asked J to send your their greetings and Mjnpatulations." Colonel B. A. Chaffey, Waiau, telepiphed: "Hearty congratulations. Hops you have got workable team." jfr Clutha Mackenzie telegraphed: "Hearty congratulations on your splendid victory." j[f Leonard Tripp, acting-chairman 0 [ the Bed Cross Executive, Wellington and' a large number of Mr fleiber's friends, have also sent congratulatory messages. Progress of Election. Past exprience hau shown that the jad results of polls taken under the proportional representation system are iot available for some days after the doling of the poll. The elections this jtw of City Councillors, of members if the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and if the North Canterbury Hospital Board ore provirtg no exception. to the rule, and it will be some time tilt week before the final results are (tillable.

Yesterday Mr Albert Freeman and ia staff of twenty-seven began the decking of the rolls, this work, and He concluding work in connexion with tie city local elections being done at the Orange Hall. Tho checking of the rolli was expected to take the whole tf the day; if it was completed earlier, it was intended to get ready for the first count, which should be on laid to-day. inked for an explanation of tho abjtnnal number of informal votes cast n Thursday, Mr Freeman stated yestoday that he had not yet seen a digle voting paper —valid or invalid -ud was, therefore, unablo to say lilt the informalities were which had Bslted in so many votes being reKiJed as invalid. Owing to the large miber of such votes, the only assumpita he could venture upon was that !' nting papers were put into the ballot ,to» without having been marked in lijway. This was, however, pure asfwtlition, and he would be only able iMiipeak' definitely on the subject when lit voting papers had been scrutinised. I Borne idea of tho expense involved ihitte city elections is given by the Jut that on Thursday no fewer than 8? persons were required to man the jidifferent polling places in the city. |X this total 530 were deputios and

3)wew ushers. In order to receive the flits cast, no fewer than 252 ballotf tea wets used. f THE INFORMAL VOTES. ELECTORS CONFUSED AND IRRITATED, Various deputy-returning officers and <Strs who were on duty at different tola for the city polls on Thursday f iill»ve practically the same story to sis to why so many informal ivotes tewcorded. Many of tho electors ffy say confused and confound>,W receiving so many ballot papers many different directions, the *Kft especially. Ilioy wuuiu. malic fcttWuuji to comply with, the reguiaj*J in aeauiijj wuu tue tonus, uui N pwpuuuues appeared to increase fWca feUvcesMve iorni was handieu, Wa a moou ot irritation they went •Wither, and either ioided up ana Situein ou the uesk in tno vuting ?•**., . Many papers, again, huu *Jtbing scored out, others also were "ty intormal by reason ot uuau*W markups, which kit the inteiiy«t uie voter absolutely unexpressothers, aga;n, hud the uUen- £ ttpregsed,' but aot in the proper ?' I'ae proportional represeuta?»Jrtera oi marking tiie paper cuus"'grQatest diilieuity, auu many ,votfinding they hud slipped a ?"•»» or had in actuality recorded tfS? • a P refe ' ekce not" expressive k*" inclination, had delioerately «Tw S6d " the P a P er > and would l»««I>t another. "Hie things >\Z 5™ vofera said t0 me abollt ifrf / i 10nal representation votWLi ued one official, "1 shall officer, when he comes *W»'iV nd *> ass Judgment on 'the S2 ü b,Mot - I)a l )ers > wi)l P° ss « ss .W2* "tatntorv authoritv to inme markings in favour of validEV the 1913 amendment of the tfr and Polk Act it is exlaid down that a voting paper L , deemed informal merelv *Z a - °, f . soni « informality in *S e £ rtor ' if {t is otherwise ton« lf in , tlle opinion of the g officer the intention of the ls denrW indicated. ntL?? 1 cov , er a) 1 tlloso cases 4 Jr™? 1 pa P ers one » ar " e vWon.l • r ? ame > a,,d Dossibly il> *a« !3? '? the loan nol i "here !^ struck of t h « other proposal I Ba ßbour board. 1? ■s* *nd./f rmst , ron2 < Lab - ) is the n at + \ el f te '! to the Har- **» on the first preference. a \ HOSPITAL BOARD. fcffl!"* *? the four candidates |lto& da >- a « elected to the jpS&Oh- H. J. Otley has