ELECTION INQUIRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23058, 8 June 1938, Page 14

ELECTION INQUIRY

LOWER HUTT PETITION MANY ALLEGATIONS MADE HEARING TO LAST A WEEK [BY TELEGRAM —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday An inquiry into the conduct of the recent municipal elections at Lower Hutt was opened to-day before Mr. H. P. La wry, S.M. It is expected that the inquiry will last a week. Tho petition alleged that many electors were unable to gain admission to the polling booths before tho close of the poll; that there was an inadequate number of polling places and booths; that delays were caused through tho time taken in issuing voting papors; that electors were wrongfully refused voting papers on the ground that it did not appear from the official copy of tho roll that they were entitled to vote; that tho returning officer or deputies wrongfully refused to take votes by declaration; and that more than six voters were allowed in a booth at the same time. Electors in many instances, the petition alleged, were not given the requisite number of voting papers; in | a number of instances tho corner of the voting papers was not folded over and secured; the counting of votes was commenced in at least two booths booths before they were closed, and while .electors were in the course of recording their votes. .. It was also contended that inadequate and poor lighting facilities were provided; that the supply of voting papers in tho Hutt River Board became exhausted; that the supply of gummed slips for securing tho fold in the voting papers became exhausted; that on the day following the election voting papers were found in a ballot box; that in one booth periods up to an hour were taken to. issue electors with voting papers; and that there was a delay in making a count of the voting and making the result known. The inquiry will be resumed tomorrow. RECOUNT ORDERED JOHNSON VILLE TOWN BOARD [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday On the ground that some declaration votes cast at Johnsonville at the recent election for seven commissioners of the Johnsonville Town Board should not have been counted, Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., to-day ordered a recount. Twenty-seven declaration votes, it was stated, had been counted as valid, but ail except nine were disallowed after a, magisterial inquiry this afternoon.