LATEST WIRES.

Northland Age, Volume 25, Issue 31, 20 November 1925, Page 4

LATEST WIRES.

(From our Special Reporter. AUCKLAND, this day The legality of the Southern Maori election is being questioned by Tui MacDonald. The claims going before the Electoral Court are (t) several persons voted though they were under age (2) half caste voters also were on the European roll though it was illegal for half castes to be on two rolls (3) descendants of half castes by Europeans are not supposed to vote at Maori elections but several did so (4) Natives from other electorates voted at Southern Maori election (5) other Natives had voted though they had no legal right to do so as they came within criminal clauses of the Legislature Act. THE ELECTION TIES. The voting for Westland and Lyttelton resulted in a lie in each place and the returning officers were called upon to exercise their casting votes. As a result of these votes Messrs T. E. Seddon (N) and M. E. Lyons (G) have been declared elected. The final totals were: LYTTELTON. Lyons ... 4901 McCombs ... 4900 \ WESTLAND. Seddon 4177 \ O’Briea ... 417 b A petition for a recount has been lodged. POSITION OF PARTIES. The position now is Government 56 I Labour u National n Liberal 1 Independent 1 Mr. Savage, deputy leader of the Lab. our Parly declared in the course of an interview yesterday that it was an outrage the way in which returning officers cast their votes and they had done a thing at variance with all established precedent. In Parliament and outside it whenever there is a tie it is the custom for the casting vote to go to maintain the existing order. No one questioned that view in the case of Lyttelton, but because Mr Seddon, formerly member for Westland. for a number of years argued that there was room for exception in his case, but surelv that is a quibble. A correct statement of the position is that in 1922 electors rejected Mr. Seddon and they have not yet given a majority lor his return. The retiring members were Mr. McCombs and O’Brien and casting votes should have gone to return them, that is, against changing the existing order. EARTHQUAKES. Reports indicate earthquake shocks at Cambridge, Hamilton, Tauranga, Ngaruawahia, Rotorua, Taihape, Te Kuiti, and Taupo but in most cases very slight except at Cambridge where it was the most severe for many years. MARKETS. Latest quotation London market N. Z. butter choicest 206/- to 208/- and a better demand. No supplies of cheese. Wool is coming in freely for Auckland sale next Friday. Prospects are that an average of 10,000 to 12,000 bales will be exceeded.