LICENSING POLLLITIGATION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 29 January 1909, Page 5

LICENSING POLLLITIGATION.

THE OHINEMURI PETITION

[PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

WAIHI, January 29

At the hearing of the petition attacking the validity of the Ohinemuri licensing poll, before a special court consisting of Magistrates Burgess, Col. Roberts and Cutten, Mr Skerrett, K.C., and Mr Cotter, with three local solicitors, represent the petitioners. Mr Adams (Dunedin) and Mr Millar represented respondents. The petition consisted of thirty clauses alleging irregularities.

Mr Skerrett affirmed that the Ohinemuri poll had not been conducted according to law. Neither had the returning officer discharged his duties according to statutory instruction. He would show that chaos reigned/ and that the names of voters who had recorded their votes had not been marked on the roll according to the provisions of the Electoral Act. After 11.30 o'clock it was a case of "let 'em all come/ and in they came, and all control was consequently lost. He considered that there was really no ballot. The voters fought their way to the voting compartments, bacK to the boxes, and then out of the booth. Force of example was a powerful one, and voters in comparing and showing their papers had a ' strong tendency to influence votes; in fact all secrecy had departed. In regard to the procedure adopted after the poll three parcels of ballot papers had been unlawfully opened. The keys of the main booth had been lost, and were ultimately recovered under the horse, trough opposite the booth.

Messrs Hunt and Regan gave evidence alleging irregularities throughout the poll. In all, thirty-four witnesses were examined.

At the conclusion of the taking of petitioners' evidence to-day, Mr Adams submitted that the petition should be dismissed on the grounds that no specific charge had been proved calculated to materially affect the result of the poll, and he would therefore apply to have the petition dismissed. The Court deferred its decision.