Rival—Second Innings.

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 1170, 9 December 1896, Page 2

Rival — Second Innings.

. The Third-class fixtures for Saturday next, 12th December, and the 19th, are as follows : — Rival v. Phoenix, at College No. 1 ground ; Wellington v. D Battery, at College No. 2 ground ; Johnsonville v. Excelsior, at Petone ; Union v. Thorndon, at Karori ; Kilbirnie v. Midland, at Kilbirnie. IBBEGULAE VOTING PAPERS. * TO THE EDITOR. Sib — I see in your paper that complaints have been made as to the secrets of the ballot papers not having been preserved in the polling booths. My wife polled her vote early yesterday at the Skating Rink, andher voting paper was not gummed down over' the number placed on her paper. She asked tha poll clerk the reason why the corner was not gummed down. He said, "It is quite right, madam." I voted ju«t after noon at the Skating Rink booth. My paper was issued in the same way— no gum on the paper and the corner containing my number not gummed down. This, I protest, is nothing less than open voting — nothing to prevent anyone seeing how I voted. There were numbers of persons in my neighbourhood in the same condition at the same booth. Is this the law ? If so, the sooner it is altered the better. I am, &0., An Elector sth December. TO THE EDITOB. Slß— What you mention in to-day's issue an unpleasant rumour is a fact. The number of the voter was not, as commanded by law, made secret at the Clyde-quay polling booth by gumming the corner down. The attention of the Deputy Returning Officer was drawn to the illegal proceedings by myself and others, and the reply given was that no gum had been provided. He was told that a corner was ready gummed, but that he stated was a wrong one. The omission was the subject of strong comment, some regarding it as intentional, with a view to the inspection of the papers. It cannot he denied that a grave breach of the electoral law has been committed, which has caused a great amount of excusable uneasiness. As the opening and counting is done in the presence of the scrutineers, any disclosure is most improbable. There has been culpable neglect, for which some one should be held responsible. Careful scrutiny should have been exercised before the opening of the poll, and every requirement of law provided for. At Olyde-quay booth the Deputy Returning Officer, when the defect was discovered, could have procured gum in three minutes from an adjacent stationer's shop. I. am, informed that the same ora^sion occurred in the ballot-papers used in the Newtawn booth of the Suburbs electorate. I am, 4c, Elxctob. Wellington, 4th December.

Joward, b TJpham « duller, b TJpkam , )ryden, c substitute, b Holdsworth ... Juck, b Upham libson, run out ... ... „„ ... lead, b tFpham , ... ySullivan, not out ;., „, „. ones, not out „« „. Extras , ... ... 0 4 5 13 3 11 14 4 19 Total for 6 wickets , 73