MAORI BY-ELECTION

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 18, 21 July 1932, Page 9

MAORI BY-ELECTION

A. SMALL DISTRICT

KEEN NATIVE INTEREST

-MANY CANDIDATES OFFER

Voting in the Southern Maori by-elce-tion to fill the vacancy created by Mr. T.Makitanara's death seems likely to be' very much split by tho entry into the contest of a multiplicity of candidates.

Nominations closo at noon on Friday, and bo far tUe Beturning Officer has received two nomination 'papers, thoso of Mr. E. T. Tirikatene, of "Wanganui, and Mr. P. Mac Donald, of Picton, a brother ©f.-the late member. Mr. Tirikatene is „ standing on behalf of the Katana 1 Party, and Mr. Mac Donald as an Independent

, According to definite party an'nauncements and other reports from va.rjous parts of the electorate, which takos in the whole of tho South Island and Stewart Island, there may be Bix other candidates.; This indicates that though tho number of Kative electors in the district does not amount to ,more than a thousand, intorest among them in their representation in Parliament is keen. Two official party selections have been made: Mr. Ned Parata has the endorsement of the Coalition Government; and Mr. H.. W. Katene will be nominated •to contest the seat in' the interests of the Labour Party. Other prospective nominees are Messrs. .W. Mihaka (Independent Coalitionist), D. Park, a well-known Maori representative footballer (Independent), T.. Bragg, of Stewart Islaud (Independent Reform), and J; Beaton, of Pahia (In- „ do-pendent Coalitionist), but some of thoso mentioned may > not too tho lino on the day of the race. \ PAST CAMPAIGNS.

It is not uncommon for thb issue in the small Southern Maori electorate to bo complicated by the entry into the lists of several contestants, and the result ha^ been'that for many years the seat has been occupied by a member with a distinct minority vote. In 1922 there were five candidates, and the late Mr. 11. IV. Uru was returned with 87 votes to1 spare, being snpported by tonsidorably loss than one-third of the total effective voters. In 1925 therd ■were igain five candidates, and Mr. Xlru's hold on-the seat was reduced to & p majority of 16 votes, his personal following constituting 211 out of a total poll-of 705 votes. There wore no less than.'seven aspirants for ttfe seat in 1928, when Mr. TJru was defeated. The occasion was made remarkable by the fact that Mr. Makitanara and Mr. TiriJcatene tied with 198 votes each in a total poll of 830 votes, and-that Mr. Makitanara secured the verdict on the casting vote of the European returning officer. At the General Election last year Mr. Makitanara Tctained his -placo in the-House after a three-cornered eontost; but' only with a majority of 20 votes '' over Mr. Katen'e, the present Labour nominee,'who on that,occasion' stood as an. Independent. Koformor. ; .' SYSTEM oiP VOTING. .'The method of voting at Maori elections was subjected to ■somo-criticis'm after the last poll by prominent Natives iii, the Southern Maori .district, who urged a revision iv the system. They complained that the present form of voting was a relic of the past, when few Maoris had any education, and that they were more or less treated as children in the method of recording their votes. Moreover, they urged that there was no "secrecy of tho ballot. Arguing that at, least 95 per cent, of the Maori population,in the South Is"land, could read' and- write, -they—advo-'. cated a change in the electoral system as vitally necessary, and that the Maoris as an educated people were entitled to a change. Petitions were presented to Parliament on the subject, but: no .alteration.has been made in the system, and the forthcoming byelection will be conducted on.the usual lines.

The procedure is very different from that followed in the European constituencies. . The Maori voters : enter, the polling booth one at a time, and appear before the deputy returning officer and a Maori who acts as associate for .the purpose of interpreting the law to-any voter "who may not understand Eng-. lish. The elector has to declare, that ho-is qualified to vote and to'give his full name and address and the tribe to which he belongs, and if the return : ing officer is satisfied -he ' asks ' the voter to state for whom he wishes to vote.' The name of the favoured candidate is written on the ballot paper "by the officer, and the Native signs. The'vetting paper is then folded- and deposited in the ( ballot-box.