GREAT VOTING CONTEST.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7077, 15 March 1910, Page 9

GREAT VOTING CONTEST.

Rules & Conditions Governing the

Close of the "N.Z. Times"

The following compose the Committee of Election Judges:—

T. M. WIUFORD, M.P., Hon. Chairman D. MILLIGAN J. HUTCHESON ALEC LAURENSON ' W, VEITCH, Jun

To all intents and purposes the Contest is henceforth in the hands of the above honourable Committee, and this is done in strict accordance with the promise made at the beginning of the competition charge." •

OPENING THE CONTEST. Tlio "Now Zealand Times" Great Voting Contest will close on Saturday, March 19th, 1910, as it was opened on December . Ist, 1909, and has since been conducted—everything in the broad glare of publicity. Ther* has never been a free vote coupon or a subscription ballot cast that has not been subject to the closest public scrutiny, 'and this rule will obtain up to the timo the winners are declared. Tho candidates, and dozens of voters, the merchants, the business and .professional men of Now Zealand har© availed themselves of this desirable privilege, and the Contest Department earnestly invites them to continue to do so. Tho candidates ha.ve been made' tho custodians of their own votes, and this department has announced from timo to time only such ballots as they have deposited-in the ballot-box. Tho system and mothod havo received the unstinted praise and honost endorsement of the most Teput&ble people in the Dominion.

CLOSING THE CONTEST. SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 19th ; 9 o'clock. The commit*©* of judges will" tako charge of tho ballot-box, lock, and place private scab thereon. A special detailed officer will stand guard over trie ballot-box until 9 o'clock in tho evening, when the seals will be inspected and broken, tho box opened, and the counting proceeded with, conducted by export acoountants with an adding machine, and under the supervision of the judges. This will occur in tho "Times" Counting Rooms, with the publio looking on. Receiving clerks will be stationed in various portions of the Counting Room under tho eye of the officer and the public. . These clerks win ■ not bo allowed to leave their stations from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., nor will they be permitted to communicate with one another. Candidates and Voters will turn in their subscriptions on the regulation Vote Coupons, and on receiving their ballots will place them in a sealed envelope, with tho name of tho candidate written on tho outside, and deposit them in tho ballot* Lex. GENERAL RULES. Tho usual declaration of the vote, as deposited in the ballot-box op i<i 10 o'clock on the night of March 18th, will bo made in the "Times" on tho morning of March 19th, and to that vote will bo added the day's balloting, thus giving the Grand Total-of each candidate. No challenge of the totals as published on the morning of March 19th will be permitted after 6 p.m. on that day. The balloting will begin at 9 a.m. and close promptly at 9 p.m. No money or subscriptions wired to the "Times" will be accepted. If you wish to wire or telephone, send it to your candidate or somo friend, who will secure the ballots and deposit them in the ballot-box. This department will in no wise bo. responsible for the conduct or manner in which any candidate or their friends may manage their ' cam* paign so long as there is no violation of the rules. The Wellington Town Clock striking the hour of 9 p.m. will be the signal for closing the ballot-box. Subscriptions and ballots posted by out-of-town candidates, or their friends, will be taken mini tho Post Office that night and handed to tho judges, who alone can break the scab*. Positively no subscriptions or ballots, except thofo just mentioned, will be received by the judges after the hour of 9 p.m. has rfrurk, except from voters who are in the Counting Room waiting to be served. (All candidates and voters aro expected to govern therm-elves in accordance with the above rules and conditions, as no "xwption or deviation will bo made. Cut them out and keen them for reference, as they will not appear again.)