ELECTION COURT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 6 December 1938, Page 10

ELECTION COURT

MAY BE HELD IN JANUARY TO HEAR BAY OF ISLANDS PETITION I United Hi-hh* Association) AUCKLAND, sth * December. No date lias yet, been fixed for the sit - ting of tli,3 Election Court to review the result ~f the Bay of Islands election, as it result of a petition presented by supporters of the National Party candidate, Mi H. E. Guy, alleging that Maoris were wrongly included on the roll, and that there were cases of minors voting. It was announced to-night by the At-torney-Gcnenil and Minister of Justice, Mr Mason, that there was little likelihood of tho petition being beard before Christmas, lie said there was some possibility of the Court sitting during the because of the pressure of other judicial proceedings, the holiday period may offer the most convenient opportunity for disposing of the matter,” said the Minister. “Such action may establish something of a legal precedent, hut the large volume of legal work at present facing the various Courts suggests that if action is not taken during the holidays a The Election Court consists of two Supreme Court judges, and the sitting is required to he held in the district where tlie complaint lias arisen. The result of the election declared by the returning officer, Mr E. G. Tyler, oi 27th October, gave Mr C. W. Boswell (Government) a majority of 163 over Mr Guy. The petitioners have slated that they are not seeking to have the election declared void, hut they submit that if the challenged votes are disallowed, their number may be sufficient to vary the result.