ELECTION PETITION

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 25, 29 December 1925, Page 8

ELECTION PETITION

THE LYTTELTON CONTEST. ANOTHER RECOUNT SOUGHT. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 26. A petition, in connection with' the election of a Parliamentary representative of the Lyttelton electorate was lodged on Thursday by Mr J. McCombs. The petition is addressed to the Chief Justice. It prays for a further recount and that the petitioner be declared duly elected, inasmuch as a majority of valid votes were cast in his favour. The respondent is Mr M. E. Lyons, journalist, Christchurch, whom the returning officer recently declared duly, elected. The petition sets out: That respondent was unduly declared elected inasmuch as (1) Certain persons were enrolled as doctors and voted as such who were not entitled to be so enrolled, not being resident in tho said electorate; (2) the names of certain persons were illegally retained on the roll for the electoral district of Lyttelton, (a) notwithstanding that they had commenced to reside outside the said electoral district, and had so resided for more than three months immediately preceding the date of the closing of tho rolls; (b) notwithstanding that they had qualified for registration as electors in other electoral districts. . That the names of a number of persons were illegally registered or illegally retained upon tho roll for tho electoral district of Lyttelton, (a) in-* asmuch as they had not resided for one year in New Zealand; (b) inasmuch as th<sy were infants at tho time of enrolment; and (c) inasmuch as they had not resided in the electoral district of Lyttelton for at least three months immediately preceding the date of their application for registration. That a number of valid votes recorded for petitioner were declared counted as informal by the returning officer, (a) certain persons voted for petitioner by striking out the name of the respondent, but they made marks on the faco of tho ballot papers, in consequence of which their papers were disallowed at tho recount. Petitioner submits that inasmuch as such marks could not lead to tho identification of the voter the votes were valid and should not hav© b©©n disallowed, (b) Certain persons voted for petitioner by striking out the name of respondent,, but initials or other marks were written or made on tho backs of the ballot papers and the votes disallowed. Petitioner submits that they should not have been disallowed, (c) Certain persons voted by leaving the names on the* ballot paper uncancelled, making a cross against tho name of one of the candidates, and such votes were disallowed at the recount. Petitioner submits that they should not have been disallowed. Certain electors voted as absent votors whoso votes were disallowed be cause of alleged dissimilarity between the signatures to their applications for enrolment and their declarations as absent voters. Petitioner submits that these votes should have been allowed.