THE INVERCARGILL LICENSING PETITION.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1031, 27 April 1894, Page 5

THE INVERCARGILL LICENSING PETITION.

ELECTION UPHELD. Magistrate Eawson on Wednesday delivered judgment in the petition against the return of the Invercargill Licensing Committee, all pledged to reduce to the full extent. He said that doubtless many grave irregularities had occured, but the cause was clearly demonstrated, as it was the first time in the history of the colony that two polls had been taken together, besides which many of the women had never voted before, and the accommodation provided was insufficient. Eeferring to the clause in the Eegulation of Local Elections Act, 1876, upon which the petitioners mainly relied, and stating that an election should be declared void where any irregularities occured which in the opinion of the magistrate "tended to defeat the fairness of the election," His Worship said he did not construe the phrase in the restricted sense put on it by petitioners, and did not think it was the intention of the Legislature that because a few were guilty of irregularities candidates and electors, innocent of the wrong, should.be put to trouble and expense. Notwithstanding the irregularities, he held that the election . had been conducted in accordance with the principles laid down iuthe Electoral Act, 1993. Had the election been close, no doubt quite sufficient was proved to defeat its fairness but the majority for the elected candidates was so large that in his opinion the irregularities did not have such an effect. He commented in strong terms on the double stamping of papers given to women, and said that if the polling had been at all close he wonld on that ground have declared the election void, as it was of the greatest importance that the secrecy of the ballot should be maintained. He refused to declare the election void, and gave costs amounting to L 32 11s against the petitioners.