WESTERN MAORI SEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18298, 15 January 1923, Page 6

WESTERN MAORI SEAT.

PETITION AGAINST RESULT, IRREGULARITIES' • ALLEGED. ' Sill M. POMARE'S- ELECTION. . [BY TKLEGB.APH —IiWN CDBBESPONDEKT.] WELLINGTON. .Saturday. ' A petition against^:the "return .of Sir Maui Pomare as : the. 'representative m Parliament, of the Western Maori district, lias been lodged with the registrar of the Supreme -Court, Wellington-. :It . alleges that to : procuirei ; his l return,- V" Sir Maui Pomare or his agents : - committed the offences of -bribery', land '.treating;;: and that there- were? irregularities ;in ': the conduct of the poll. . , ■ Sir Maui Pomare; is' : the Minister, in ; charge of the Cook Islands. ,He was returned with a majority of more than ■700 votes. ';•..."." ' The petition asks? that:the election, be declared void and ■ the . member incapacitated from serving, in ' the. present Parliament. -•■ The petitioner 1' is Kanapu Ha!erehuka. !V-;.;-He' alleged : that; Stir ; Maui; Pomare/ by hi'mseji. or by an agent, gave to Tamaiwiha Rawiri,/ of .Thames, : the sum of £37, ; or tJiereabouts, in order to induce Rawiri to assist;, his candidatuire/; The petitioner says also that, through' ah intermediary, .Sir ; Maui ; Pomare ; gave an elector a bottle of, beor in order to gain a vote. ■;;■■" At Pukekohe. the; petitioner says the candidate committed- on ' polling day 'the offence of treating/ because, by- himself or by Frank Perkins, storekeeper, he was coJioerned in the provision of i meat; drink, and; entertainment for electors.: - Further allegations: against Sir;; Maui; Pomare are that dig:: was' concerned . in ; the provision of drink at , Tauranga;; that, by way of winning votes, he offered or promised to procure the reinstatement or certain persons:.hi,employment on railway works; that shortly before.- the election he did :,nr<>cure;the reinstatement'.'vqf;'olejcf| tors in employment on railway .works; ;j that at Muir v goldmine, 1 .T e /Puke, : - he used undue influence by; himself 1 .his agent in order to.- induce - certain employees to. vote ,for him; that, certain persons entitled .to 'be; .included, ;;among the beneficial owners of certain native lands were threatened 'with exclusion from the lists of owners unless they voted for -Sir Maui " Pomare;'■■;« that- Sir Maui Pomaro offered at Manaia; to procure electors : relief ; from the payment of county: rates;' that ; he: offered ; money - to , Rangi Maruamarn > to/induce the flatter;to vote for him and endeavour., to procure n«» return ;■..-. and that he/ threatened:-Marua-maru with cancellation-" of - the "■ native, in' terpreter's' license y which- the latter' held. The petitioner further - alleges that .in the -taking of i the poll there : occurred irregularities, improprieties. . and failures to -comply with the; Legislature Act.;, fie ' states, that associates to deputy-returning j ;cfficcrg in many cases were active/parti-J - sans- of ; Sir Maui, Pomare, 5 arid that they j ' rl id not act' impartially, - but .interfered, with electors in the booths. aNJcI canvassed for -votes for Sir Maui P(imare; "that in Eonie booths the/-name. candidate""' written .on < the voting / paper was jiot that of the candidate for whom the; elector desired to vote; that intoxicating liauor wast; supplied ■to Maoris on, election .'day;, that afc Pukekohe on. election day free food and drink . was supplied to • electors .presumed to: be voting for Sir ; Maui Pomare;: and th«.t! many cases.: of double«,' voting occurred. : , - -.•■.- "■■