Local Option Petitions

Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 10520, 27 January 1903, Page 3

Local Option Petitions

(per press association). Dunedin, Jan 26. The hearing of the petition against the Cbalmerd local option poll was fixed lor to-day. There was no appearance ag-tinst the petition. Mr C C Graham, S M, said that he had decided he had juasdictiou. Adams had stated when the cape was called on previously that he would apply to the Supreme Court f-<r prohibition against his hearing of the petition, but he had not done so. He adjourned the iuquiry until March. The hearing of the petition agaiost the local op 1 ion poll at Bruce was commenced at Milton today. F R Chapman, W A Sim and D Reid appeared in support, and A S Adams and J F Woodhouse (to oppose the petition) set out various irregularities, and Chopin* n in opening said that the Act might or might not affect the result of a poll ; but the poll could be veided, thuugh such effecb were not proved j but some Acfs or Acts had a tendency in that direction. In the petition there were five clauses of Acts alleged which tended to defeat the fairness of the poll. Three of these were positive allegations, and the other two were qualified. Nineteen witnesses were called in support of the petition when the Court adjourned.