Decision on Hunua seat may take time

Press, 9 May 1979, Page 3

Decision on Hunua seat may take time

PA Auckland The eight-week Hunua election petition hearing i wound up yesterday — and the public could know in ; about two weeks whether the seat has stayed with the Labour Party or been awarded to the National Party. i However, depending on the action taken by the Electoral Court, it could yet be some time before the identity of the member of Parliament for Hunua is confirmed. The unsuccessful National candidate for the' seat last year, Winston Raymond Peters, has sought an order overturning the election, which he lost to the Labour candidate, Malcolm Douglas, by 301 votes. 1

Mr Peters has challenged the validity of about 900 votes cast for the Hunua seat. The chairman of the Court and Chief Justice (Sir Ronald Davison) said yesterday that it would have to make determinations on matters of law and on the allowance or disallowance of votes. He hoped the Court would have made a judgment on these matters by Friday. That would then form the basis for a recount by the specially appointed scrutineer. The recount would take about 10 days and the Cpurt would then be in a position to send a certificate pronouncing on the result of the petition to the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Mr Harrison).