VOTES QUERIED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23213, 6 December 1938, Page 10

VOTES QUERIED

bay of islands seat | PETITION FOR REVIEW 1 COURT SITTING NOT FIXED | POSSIBLY DURING JANUARY No date has yet been fixed for the sitting of the Election Court to review the result of the Bay of Islands election, as the result of a petition presented by supporters of the National Party candidate, Mr. H. F. Guy, alleg- . ing that Maoris were wrongly included on the roll and that there were cases of minors voting. It was stated last night by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, that there was little likelihood of the petition being heard before Christmas. He said there was some possibility of the Court sitting during the legal recess in January, on account 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, but tho largo volume of work at present facing the various Courts suggests that if action is not taken during the. holidays a long delay might be occasioned." The Election Court will consist of two Supreme Court Judges, and the sitting is required to be held in the district where the complaint has arisen. The remit of the election, declared by the returning officer, Mr. E. G. Tyler, on October 27, gave Mr. C. W. Boswelj (Government) a majority of 163 over Mr. Guy. The petitioners have stated that they are not seeking to have the election declared void, but they submit that if the challenged votes are disallowed their number may be sufficient to vary the result.