Local Option Poll

Hastings Standard, Volume IX, Issue 5106, 25 January 1906, Page 3

Local Option Poll

tPer Press Association)

Invercargill, Janua-y 24

At the Invercargill lccal option poll inquiry to-day, after evidence had been given of alleged offences, Mr Adams, for the respondents, contended that the absence of the official stamp from voting papers did not Invalidate them. With regard to dual voting, eight of the persons concerned had the right to vote, while of two otfcer votes in question, one must be valid.

The Bench of Magistrates then decided to make a scrutiny of the challenged votes, and this occupied about two hours. On resuming, Mr Hosking, for the petitioners, submitted, with regard to three unsealed permits, that these should be disallowed, as the seal was the only test of authority when a paper came from a distance. One voter had recorded his local option vote on the back of the paper, and that should be disallowed. So also should three signed papers and two bearing remarks Mr Adams said that if all the votes referred to were disallowed by the bench, No-license would still have 7 and 2-sth majority. Mr Hosking said the bench had not yet decided the point as to whether informal votes were to be added to the number of votes recorded. Mr Adams contended that votes adjudged informal were absolutely voided, and could not be galvanised into life for any purposeIt is expected that the inquiry will finish to-morrow. The tenor of the evidence given indicated that the poll had been remark ably well conducted. In the case of a deaf man who is alleged to have been refused voting-papers, it was shown that he refused to answer written questions, and that he left the booth in dudgeon, and was not put out as alleged. January 23 Counsel addressed the Court, am', judgment was reserved till Wednes day.