LYTTELTON & SOUTHERN MAORI SEATS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 124, 21 November 1925, Page 8

LYTTELTON & SOUTHERN MAORI SEATS

THE CASTING VOTE QUESTION MINISTER MAKES A SUGGESTION. According to a Press Association message from Christchureh to-day, Mr. J. M'Combs lias filed an application for it Magisterial recount of Urn voles cas>l i" the Lytteilon election. A similar applieuLion lias been made by Air. Xtti McDonald, who was one of the candidates for the Southern Maori seat. Air. Young, S.M., will preside over the Lytteltou recount, and Mr. Widdowson, S.M., over'the Southern Maori. There has been an impression in some quarters, says a further Christchureh i'ress Association message, that the returning officers for Wcstland and Lytteltor. exercised a deliberative; as well as a casting vote. This is incorrect, as section 40 of the Act states that a returning officer is not allowed a vole except where there is an equality of votes, as in the case of these two seats. It is pointed out that this removes the case from being on all fours with the position on a local body where a chairman often exercises two votes, the second, or casting vote,, beiug usually to retain things as they are. , Asked on his arrival in Palmerstoii North yesterday whether he would mako a statement in regard- to the decisions of tlio Wcstland and Lyttclton returning officers," tlic Hon. A. D. M'Lcort, chairman of tho Reform organisation executive, says a Press Association message, stated tlmt very unfair criticism was being levelled against both officers by men who were apparently allowing their judgment to become warped as the result of defeat. "That is by no means an unusiuil or even an inexcusable attitude" said Mr. M'Lcod, "but the argument that a returning officer should record his vote in accordance with custom or precedents established in ! other directions cannot be sustained., ! If such a procedure had been intended the law would have been amended long before" this, and would have stipulated definitely that in tho event of a tie the sitting member shall be declared elected. If the present system is'to continue, and returning officers are to have the undeniable right of deciding such issues by casting an unfettered vote, then in my opinion an amendment should be. enacted making it mandatory on the part of all electoral returning officers to record their votes on the morning of election day, and forward them under seal to the Chief Electoral Officer in Wellington, such votes to be opened and used in tho event of', a tie "' being declared after Magisterial inquiries or recounts (if any) have been finally disposed of."