POLITICAL SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 51, 23 November 1928, Page 12

POLITICAL SITUATION

NO CHANGE IN PARTY STRENGTHS OFFICIAL COUNTS NEARING END TWO CLOSE FINISHES The political situation underwent no change yesterday. The additional results from the official counts, wliile producing a number of interesting incidents, left the relative positions of the parties unaltered. The Uniteds retained three seats considered doubtful—one on the casting vote of the Returning Officer—and the Country Party held its lone seat, Bay of Islands, by one vote. Temuka is reported to be safe for Mr. T. P. Burnett (Reform), although the official returns have not come to hand. The official count is rapidly approaching completion, and provided, dual returns for the three Maori seats do not hold up proceedings, the fifteen results outstanding should be known by to-night. It is reported that-a prosecution will be the sequel to a dual voting case in Wellington Suburbs. Two votes in the name of the same elector were cast for the Labour-Socialist candidate, Mr. T. Brindle, and as the extra vote has been rejected as informal, the Minister of Education (Hon. It. A. Wright) now. has a majority of 19b.>. The amended figures are as. follow:— Hon. R. A. .Wright. (R.) .5748 T.'.Brindle (L.) ....... .3763 Kr. McLennan . (U.)' 3260 Informal 100 How the Absentees Voted. The final returns .show that Mr.. H. M. Rushworth has held the Bay .of Islands seat for the Country Party by a single vote. His lead over Mr. A. Bell (Reform) .in the preliminary count was 82, with 326 outstanding votes to be counted. Iu view of the close finish that, has resulted it is expected that -a magisterial recount will be applied for. ■ Tn Wallace on the preliminary count Mr. A. Hamilton (Reform)-had a lead over Mr. W. E. Taylor (United) of 333 votes. ’ At the official count yesterday .the 530 votes outstanding were distributed, and, as stated, the Reformer emerged with a majority of 19 votes. . . The Temuka figures have yet to be received, but it is understood thut Mr. Burnett lias maintained a lead after the distribution of the absentee votes. With 651 votes to be counted, in Rotoruh, Mr. C. H. Cllnkard (United) had a lead of 185 on Mr. F. IT. Hockly (Reform), and when the numbers went up yesterday this had been increased to 200. Mr. J. A. Lee (Labour-Socialist) failed to- recapture Auckland East from Mr. J. B. Donald (United) - whose majority, with 847 votes outstanding, was 236. Mr. Donald held the seat with 37 votes to spare. THE OFFICIAL COUNT The following were results of the official counts in the electorates named received yesterday:— AUCKLAND EAST. J. B. Donald (U.) 4254 J. A. Lee (L.) 4217 Mrs. C. E. Maguire (R.) ....... 2274 Informal - 220 Majority for Donald 37 CHALMERS. A. E. Ansell (R.) 3357 N. H. Campbell (L.) 2738 J. P. Walls (U.) 1065 A; McLachlan (1.R.) ..... 50 Informal 75 Majority for Ansell 619 HAURAKI. A. W. Hall (R.) 3820 Ebeuezer Allan (U.) 2935 C. I.’. Petrie (L.) .2411 In formal .. ............. ■' 54 Majority for Hall ........ 891 HAWKE’S BAY. \ H. M. Campbell (R.) 3953 J. W. I,yon (L.) 3263 G. McKay (U.) 2992 Informal 1 92 Majority for Campbell 690 HURUNUI. G. W. Forbes (U.) 5344 L. R. <’.Macfarlane (R.) ...... 3505 I’. L. Turley (1.L.) 576 Informal. ................ lOS Majority for Forbes 1839 INVERCARGILL. Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward (U.) . 730!) 8. M. Miiculister (1.R.) 4131 Informal ...... 88 Majority for Ward 3178 LYTTELTON. J. McCombs (L.) .............-. 5022 J. W. Beanlaud (R.) .......... .3036 W. T. Lester (U.) 2734 Informal — Majority for McCombs .... 1986 OTAKI. W. H. Field (R.) 3407 A. B. Sievwright (U.) 2594 11. Dyson. fL.) ............... 1400 J. Purchase (1.L.) 219 Informal 106 Majority for Field .. 813 PAHIATUA. E. A. Ransom (U.) .. 4309 G. 11. Smith (R.) 3447 J. Whittle (L.) 535 Informal 84 Majority for Ransom 922 ROTORUA. C. H. Cllnkard (U.) 3617 F. F. Hoekly (R.) .. 3417 A. G. Christopher (1.L.) ......I 659 S. H. Judd (C.) ... • 624 Informal .... 125 Majority for Clinlsard ...... 200 WAIKATO. F. Lye (U.) 2079 D. S. Rejfl JR.) 2893 P. Keegan (C.) .1897 Informal 70 Majority for Lye 86 WAIMABINO. F. Langslono (L.) .. 3260 R. W. Smith (1. Lib.) 2635 J. Georgetti (I.) 1500 Informal 43 Majority for Langstons .... 625

WAIPAWA. Sir George Hunter (R.) 3983 E. A. Goodger (1.U.) 2123 D. B. Dent (U.) 1362 Informal 77 Majority for Hunter 1860 WAITOMO. VV. J. Broadfoot (U.) 3797 J. C. Rolleston (R.) 3265 O. Croall (L.) 688 Informal .... 52 Majority for Broadfoot .... 532 WANGANUI. W. A. Veitch (UJ 4979 W. J- Rogers (L.) ............ .2842. N. J. Lewis (R.) ............ 2boo Informal ................. <8Majority for Veitch ......... -2137 BAY OF ISLANDS. :H. M. Rushwortli (C.) • 3837 A. Bell (R.) 3836 R. E. Hornblow (Lib.-Lab.) .. 351 Informal .............. —• Majority for Rushworth 1 UMARU. ‘ Rev. C. Carr (L.) ............. 5547 Hon. F. J. Rolleston (R.) ...... 5080 Informal ” Majority for Carr ....... 467 WALLACE. A .Hamilton (R.) • • 4359 W. E. Taylor . (U.) 4<do G. T. Pulley (Lib.) 139 Informal ........ Majority for Hamilton . 19 SOUTHERN MAORI SEAT OFFICIAL COUNT REVEALS A TIE RETURNING OFFICER EXERCISES CASTING-VOTE By Telegraph.—Press Association.' . Christchurch, November 22. The returning officer had to give his casting vote in the Southern Maori election, when the official count of votes was concluded to-day. By the preliminary count on the day of the election Tuiti Makitanaru was shown as leading E. T. Tirikatene by one vote. At the official count to-day they were shown to have exactly the same number of votes,, and the returning officer gave his casting vote, for Tuiti Makitauara, the United candidate, who is therefore elected. The official figures are as follow: — Tuiti Makitanara (U.) 199 E. T. Tirikatene (Ratanaite) ... 198 11. W. Uru (R.) Ml 3 J. C. Tikao .197 P. 11. Macdonald .............. 79 W. T. Pitnnia 42 T. M. Erihana,..; 33 Total votes polled 821 RICCARTON SEAT TALK OF ELECTION PETITION ELECTORS SAID TO BE WRONGLY ENROLLED Dominion Special Service. Christchurch, November 22. Although no action has yet been decided upon, there is a possibility that a petition may be lodged against the election of Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Reform) for the Riccarton seat. The ground of such a petition would be that the result of the election may have been affected by the votes of electors who were wrongly enrolled in the Riccarton electorate. Mr. A. A. McLachlan, the United candidate for the seat, who was beaten by Mr. Kyle, by 45 votes, stated this morning, that the movement, for a petition had come entirely from people interested in the localities where the electors were understood to have been wrongly enrolled. He was not taking any action personally, but his committee might consider the position. “There are two things which I wish to make perfectly clear,” said Mr, McLachlan. "I’m not alleging anything against Mr. Kyle, and I’m satisfied that every care in the conduct of the poll was tiiken by the returning officer. I have been informed, however, of a fairly large number of people who are wrongly enrolled. I know of about twenty such cases'- myself, and before the election I told some of them not to vote without consulting the returning officer. It is quite possible that there may be more, but the question arises as to whether there are enough of them to affect the result of the election. The cases occur in the vicinity of Broadfield, Brookside, the Riccarton Racecourse, and other places where the boundary of the Riccarton electorate meets the boundaries of the Kaiapoi and Mid-Canterbury electorates. It depends partly on my com--inittee and partly on the United Party -organisation in Wellington whether any petition will be lodged.” The time for making application for a Magisterial recount of the votes expires to-day, but Mr. McLachlan made it clear that one will not be asked for. “I have already written to the United Party headquarters stating that. I am perfectly certain that a Magisterial recount would not alter the position, and for that reason I don’t think it’s wortli wliile asking for one,” Mr. McLachlan said. UNITED PARTY CAUCUS FAITH IN LEADER The United Party caucus was held in Wellington last night, when the political situation was discussed. Subsequently the following resolutions unanimously carried by the meeting were handed to the. Press“Recognising that, the future prosperity and good guidance of New Zealand depends on co-operation, sincerity and sacrifice, we hereby affirm and declare our unwavering loyalty, support and faith in our distinguished leader, Sir Joseph Ward.” '■’be following further, resolution was also carried :— “We. the Parliamentary members of the United Parly, desire to place on record our sincere appreciation of the signal services rendered the party byMr. A. F. Davy, the Dominion organiser, and the part lie played iu our victory at the polls.”