DAIRY BOARD ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19953, 23 May 1928, Page 12

DAIRY BOARD ELECTION.

THE MISSING NOMINATION. SEARCH AT THE POST OFFICE. "EVERYTHING POSSIBLE DONE." "The whole affair is extremely regretfable and would seem to indicate gross neglect by somebody," said Mr. 13. T. Booker, of Whitford, yesterday, in referring to the refusal to accept his nomination as a candidate for election to the Dairy Produce Board. Mr. Booker intended to oppose Mr. W. Grounds in the No. 1 ward, but his nomination was refused on the ground that it was not received in Wellington by the returning officer until after the stipulated hour on Monday. The following telegram was received by Mr. Booker yesterday from Mr. W, Goodfellow, managing director of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, who is in Wellington:—"Exceedingly regret nomination too late, due to board's official not clearing box in time." Mr. Booker said his nomination was posted in Auckland at four o'clock on Friday afternoon. Mr. H. H. Sterling, general manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, was in Wellington on Monday, and upon learning that the nomination had not been received, immediately mado inquiries at the General Post Office. Ho secured the assistance of Mr. G. McNamara, Secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department, and a thorough searchwas made for the missing document. It was eventually located, but it was then too iate for its acceptance. It had been ascertained by Mr. Sterling, Mr. Booker said, that a notice had been placed in the private box of the Dairy Produce Board on Saturday notifying that a registered package awaited reception. This was stated to have been removed, as another was placod in the box 011 Monday. However, no one called for the package which, of course, contained the nomination. Mr. Sterling had since interviewed the Crown solicitor at Wellington, but it appeared there was now no liopo of the nomination being accepted. "1 have been placed in a somewhat foolish light, and the refusal of the nomination is very disappointing after everything possible was done to ensure that it reached its destination in time," Mr. Booker added. The letter had been registered to give it additional security. All plans for the election campaign would now have to be cancelled. Mr. Booker said ho had arranged a tour of the North Auckland district and was to leave within the next few days. MISTAKE IN THE ADDRESS. DELAY IN RECEIPT OF LETTER MR GROUNDS DECLARED ELECTED [RY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. I WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The advertisement of the Dairy Board election published by the returning officer, Mr. William C. Robinson, of the Department of Agriculture, stated that his address was "Department of Agriculture, per private bag, Wellington." Mr. Booker's nomination paper was addressed to "the returning otticer, New Zealand Dairy Produce Export Control Board, olection, Wellington," and was forwarded by registered post from Auckland on May 18. It reached Wellington on Saturday and the post office officials placed in the private box of the Dairy Produce Board the usual printed notification of a registered package. Owing to inadvertonce, the letter was not applied for by the Dairy Board and the post office issued a further notice on Monday. The nomination finally reached the returning officer at the Department of Agriculture at 2.45 p.m. on Monday. The returning officer has decided that the nomination of Mr. Booker cannot be accepted and it is understood he is fortified in this decision by a legal opinion. Therefore, the chairman of the board, Mr. W. Grounds, has been declared elected by the returning officer. It is understood that a hitch occurred in regard to the nomination of Mr. Dynes Fulton for the vacancy in ward 2 and that, to make certain he was duly nominated, Mr. IT. H. Sterling, of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, mado a special journey by motor-car from Hamilton to Wellington to attend to tho matter personally. A question had been raised whether Mr. Fulton's proposers wero registered electors. On investigation the nomination was found to be in order.