THE MASTERTON ELECTION PETITIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1010, 10 July 1891, Page 26

THE MASTERTON ELECTION PETITIONS.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Masterton, July 3.

The petition against the election of the Maston Borough Licensing Committee was held before Colonel Roberts, R.M., to-day. There were ten grounds on which it was alleged the election was invalid. Messrs Skerrett, Beard, and Pownall, appeared for the petitioners, and Messrs Hawkins and Bunny to oppose. The addresses on both sides were of considerable length, the main opposition to the petition being that of principle. His Worship reserved his decision.

The following are the grounds of ihe petition : —(1) That at the time of the election there was no returning officer appointed for the district, and that notice of time and place was not therefore given as the Act requires. (.*) That nominations were not given in the manner prescribed by law. (3) That the name of a person not a candidate was entered upon the polling papers—to wit, the name of G. S. W. Dalrymple. (4) That the name of a candidate was omitted from the polling paper—to ivit, the name of C. A. Pownall. (5) That a wrong roll was used for the election on account of the division of the Borough into Wards. (6) That notice of the time of the election was not given iu the manner prescribed by law. (7) That the time and place of election was not given in the manner prescribed by the Act. (8) That there was only one polling booth at the election, instead of a polling booth in each ward. (9) That the election was bad, inasmuch as the local option poll must be held simultaneously with the licensing election. (10) The local option poll taken was bad.