Allegations of corruption abandoned

Press, 21 April 1979, Page 6

Allegations of corruption abandoned

PA Auckland I Allegations that the Labour ■ Party candidate for Hunua , committed corrupt practices during the General Election last year have been abandoned.

Counsel for the petitioners (Mr P. B. Temm, Q.C.) told the Electoral Court this yesterday as he ended his case in the Hunua election petition.

Mr Temm appears for the unsuccessful National Party capdidate in the seat, Winston Raymond Peters, who contests the election result. He lost to the Labour Party candidate (Mr M. Douglas) by 301 votes. Mr Temm said the petitioners were also abandoning another allegation that the returning officer and his deputies had breached various provisions of the Electoral Act during the election. Both allegations were contained in the petition in which Mr Peters seeks a court, order overturning the election, or a declaration that it was void.

Initially the petitioners had challenged more than 1100 votes, saying they had been cast unlawfully in Hunua. During their case they have abandoned about 250 of these, but still challenge about 900 votes.

With the end of the petitioner’s case. Mr E. W. Thomas, counsel for the first respondent, Mr Douglas, will open his case to the court on Tuesday. The hearing is expected to continue for at least two more weeks. Three subpoenaed witnesses who were to have given evidence for the petitioners on Thursday had still failed to appear at the court yesterday. Warrants for their arrest have been issued by the Court. They.are to give evidence of votes the petitioners say were unlawfully cast in the seat. The hearing is before the Chief Justice (Sir Ronald Davison), Mr Justice Speight, and Mr Justice Sinclair. The court will not sit on Monday. The hearing will continue on Tuesday.