GENERAL ELECTION

Grey River Argus, 31 December 1914, Page 6

GENERAL ELECTION

; MISTAKES IN COUNTING. WELLINGTON, Dec 25. The Oppostion press, in search of further alleged scandals, has been hin ting- that the recently-chronicled mistakes of returning officers are in some way attribuatable to the administration of the Reform Party. The facts prove the contrary, and an. official statement shows that, out of the 76 returning officers for the dominion, all but 10 acted in the same capacity at last elec xkra, and in many cases at previous election. The 16 new appointments were made in cases where there were vacancies through resignation, death, or retirement. In Wellington East, Hawke's Bay, and Dunedin Central the returning- officers are those who acted in a similar capacity at the. last election. The Electoral Department has been most careful this year to ensure that the elections should be carried out smoothly and in. all but three or four instances that has been the result. A conference of electoral officers was held in Wellington some time before the elections, and everything- was done to> gmard against errors.. Special books of instruction j were issued to returnisg officers and] - deputy returning officers, and on the inside of the cover the recipients were enjoined to study carefully the instruc tions contained therein before commencing" to conduct a poll, as the nonobservance of their provisions might cause irregularities, and render the officers liable to a penalty for breach or neglect of official duty. Among ' the regulations was one which specially enjoined deputy return ing officers not to mark upon the ballot paper the elector's roll number, but only on the counterfoil. The mistake in Dunedin Central was caused by neg lect of the instruction. The election has been complicated by the Expediionary Force vote, and the action of certain fanatics who have struck out • the names of all candidates and written across the paper, "I vote for Bible in schools." This^accounts for the large increase of informal and invalid votes at this election. The use of the "declaration "vote and the discretionary power given to a returning officer to decide whether a ballot paper not marked according to the Act, but still expressing the intention of the voter, was vaid or not. This allowed \ot ingr by a cross against the candidate's name. It is to be hoped that before another election takes place the Act will be amended and simplified.