ELECTION PETITION

Evening Star, Issue 18173, 13 January 1923, Page 3

ELECTION PETITION

DR POMARE’S RETURN. DIG CATALOGUE OF ALLEGATIONS. [Peb United Peess Association.] WELLINGTON, January 13. Kemapu Haerehuka lias petitioned wjainst i)r Pom are's return, alleging _brinery in various forms. One charge ia of giving £57 to a Native to secure the candidate’s return. Others are a gift of a Pottle of beer, treating electors, providing drink at Tanranga, and offering to secure work on railways. It is also alleged that threats were used to exclude beneficiaries under the Taranaki leases unless they voted for Dr Pomaro. Other promises to procure relief, offers of money, threats, and similar procedure are alleged. Because of these matters the petitioner claims that Dr Pomaro is incapacitated from serving in the present Parliament, and claims that the election be declared void. The petitioner 'further alleges that 1 hero occurred irregularities, improprieties, and failures to comply with the Legislative Act as to the taking of the poll. It is alleged that the associates to the deputy returning officers in many cases were active partisans of Dr Pomare, andl that ■hey did not act impartially, but inter’creel with the electors in booths, and canvassed for votes for Dr Pomare. In soma Booths tha name of the candidate written >n the voting paper was not that of the mndidate for whom the electors desired to vote. It ia further alleged that intoxicating liquor was supplied to Maoris on election day; that at Pntetohe free food am! drink were supplied to electors presumed to be voting lor Dr Pomare, and that in many cases double voting occurred.