THE WAIRAU SEAT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 19 January 1912, Page 5

THE WAIRAU SEAT.

A LONG LIST OF ALLEGED

IRREGULARITIES

BLENHEIM, Jan. 18. In accordance with the Act, the petitiouers against Mr McCallum's election for Wairau advertise the full text of the grounds of the petition in the Express to-night. The petition is a very lengthy one, comprising 27 clauses. Summarised, the alleged grounds of the proceeding are as follows:—

- McCallum was guilty of bribery in treating and using undue influence, and in intimidation of electors, and other corrupt and illegal practices, whereby a honest, pure, and fair election was not holden, and, therefore, should be declared void.

After a meeting of electors at Grovetown, Mr McCallum announced that his chairman of committee would "shout," and that they, proceeded to the hotel, where Mr McCallum addressed the electors and supplied them with drink and entertainment, paid for directly or by ihis agent.

At Picton, Okaramio, Seddori and Mirza, Mr McCallum provided meat, drink, and intoxicating liquors to large numbers of electors for the purpose of influencing votes. At Grqve road, Blenheim, there was a polling-place at a grain store of Mr McCallum's brother, where large quantities of liquor were supplied to the electors, wherewith Mr McCallum was an accessory.

Large quantities of intoxicating liquor were supplied to the electors at Seddon and that the agent for Mr McCallum there importuned the electors to vote for Mr McCallum, and supplied them with liquor supplied by Mr McCallum. A member of Mr McCallums' committee ga/ve the electors at Mirza money to buy liquor.

t Prior to the second ballot, Mr McCallum made contracts for the payment of the conveyance of electors to and from the polling booth at the election, and that the secretary of Mr McCallum's committee was seen to instruct the drivers of such conveyances to convey the /electors to the poll to vote or Mr McCallum.

That a prominent member of Mr McCallum's committee stood at the principal booth, accosting electors and urging them to vote for Mr McCallum, thus intimidating the electors, and the same thing occurred at another polling-place. That Mr McCallum was guilty of corrupt practice at the first ballot, inasmuch as. his total expenses exceeded £200, and in the second Ballot his total expenses exceeded £50.

That the chairman of his committee offered money to a canvasser to procure votes, and that trie promised money was paid after the election.

. Clauses were also inserted alleging bets made by members of Mr McCalhim's committee and prominent supporters, thereby influencing votes of th 6 electors.

WELLINGTON, Jan. 19. Mr MeCallum, interviewed by the Times, denies the election allegations, and says that now the allegations have been made, he not only courts, but iasists, on the fullest enquiry.