THE ELECTIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2802, 30 January 1871, Page 3

THE ELECTIONS.

TO THE EDITOR. _ Sir—l admit your right, for [the pubic interests, to criticise public men and public officers, but I think your leader of to-day goes beyond fairness. . . • Permit me to say a word in reply; I have not time to go fully into the matter. That there was a mistake in the printing of the voting papers for Caversham, I admit, owing to the form used for Dunedin being placed in the hands of the printer without altering the word " two "to " one;" but as soon as observed, every effort was made to correct it, and permit me to say that the mistake does not appear to have misled a single elector, as all the voting papers returned were in proper form except three, and those three were evidently not influenced by the mistake in the printed paper. __t is impossible, therefore, to challenge that election effectively. With regard to my not having deducted the five double votes for Dunedin, I can only say that, trusting to memory in the hurry of preparing for the declaration,. 1 mistook the provisions of the Act, till reminded of it by one of the candidates. Bur, Sir, if you were aware of the numerous duties I am obliged to attend to, you would not be surprised at this. These are the only two mistakes that I have committed, so far as lam aware. Yet you say, "other mistakes have been reported to us equally serious in their character." I am not aware of any one such, and therefore cannot reply ; but I put it to you whether it is fair thus to damage the character of a public:officer upon mere report. ■ I believe there was a small mistake ori the part of one Of the deputy returning: officers at the school-house, North Dunedin, in that he received the first three votes : without marking the number of the voter on the corner of the ballot paper; this he discovered, and, with consent of the scrutineer present, sent forthe three voters ; they voted, correctly; and the threo papers without the numbers were at the close of the poll set aside. These are the only blunders or mistakes that I know of, and I leave you to judge if they justify your leader. - I observe you highly applaud the printed Instructions to Deputies, which you attribute to the Government. ; Permit me to inform you that these instructions were ; wholly prepared by me, and printed -at the I Daily; Times office by the Provincial Government here at my request. By inserting the above, you will oblige. 6 — lam,&c, John Burnside, .; Principal Returning Officer. ; Dunedin, [28th January. \ : i ;