DECIDING VOTE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 14 November 1928, Page 5

DECIDING VOTE

> FROM THE CROIXELLES

(By Telegi&ph—Special to “The Mail”)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day

Makitanara (United Party), who on the telegraphed totals won the Southern Maori seat, has lived in Levin, North Island, since 1907, with fairly frequent visits to his properties at Spring Creek, Marlborough, and Endeavour Inlet, Queen Charlotte Sound.

In order that there should be no confusion between his name and that- of his brother, P. H. MacDonald, who also contested yesterday’s election, Makitanara adopted his Maori name in place of liis pakeha name, T. MacDonald. As Makitanara, he was in the ballot yeSterdav.

Standing as an Independent Liberal at the 1925 election, lie, as T. MacDonald, gained 195 votes, only 16 fewer than the elected member, H. W. Uru Makitanara was born at Havelock, and received his education at the Wairhu native school, and later he took up farming at Spring Creek, Marlborough, and was elected a member of the Wairau Native School Committee. He represented the combined provinces of Nelson, Westland and Marlborough on Maori councils elected to deal with matters of sanitation over twenty years ago. For 23 years he was an agent for Native Land Court;. Leaving the South Island in 1907, he took up property at Levin. Eruera Tirikatene (Ratana Party), ■who was one vote behind the leading candidate, is better known in the South Island as Jim Tregurtha. Born at Kaiapoi 33 years ago, he was educated in that town. His name became well known in the South Island through his skill in breaking-in horses. He enlisted for service in the Great War in 1914, and returned in 1918 as a medical sergeant for the Maori contingent. _ Marine work attracted him, and one o-f his ventures was the running of a ferry service between Lyttelton and Port Levy. Going to Wanganui about three years ago, he lived at- the Ratana Pa, and in this election lie was one of the four to represent the Ratana Party. Makitanara and Tirikatene were level with 197 votes eacli for two hours last night. All the polling places except the Croixelles, in the Nelson province, had sent in their returns to Christchurch by 6.10 p.m., an hour and 10 minutes after polling had closed. It was not until 8.15 p.m. that the Croixelles telephoned its totals, which gave Makitanara one vote and Tirikatene none.

Several of the candidates waited a full two hours outside the Supreme Court office for the final result, which of course is subject to any correction that another counting of the total votes may make.