THE GENERAL ELECTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18761, 15 January 1923, Page 3

THE GENERAL ELECTION

DR POM ARE’S RETURN. BRIBERY ALLEGED. ■ • (Pee United Puess Association.) WELLINGTON, January 13. Kemnpu Ilaerehuka has petitioned against Dr Pomnre’s return, alleging bribery in various forms. One charge is of giving £37 to a Native to secure the candidate's return. Others are a gift of a bottle of beer, treating electors, providing drink at Tauranga, and offering to secure work on railways. It is also alleged that threats were used ito exclude benfioiaries under the Taranaki leases unless they voted for Dr Pomare. Other promises to procure relief, offers of money, threats, and similar procedure are alleged. Because of these matters the petitioner claims that Dr Pomare is incapacitated from serving in the present Parliament, and claims that the election bo declared void. The petitioner further alleges that there occurred irregularities, improprieties, and failures to comply -with the Legislature Act as to the taking of the poll. It is alleged that the associates to the deputy returning officers in many cases were active partisans of Dr Pomare. and that they did not act impartially, but interfered with the electors in booths, and canvassed for votes for Dr Pomare. In some booths the name of the candidate written on the voting paper was not that of the candidate for whom die electors desired to vote. It is further alleged that intoxicating licpior was sunplicd to Maoris on election day; that at Pukokohe free food and drink were supplied to electors presumed to he voting for Dr Pomare. and that in many cases double voting occurred. THE WAT TO MO ELECTORATE. A PETITION LODGED. TE KUTTI, January 13. Despite his telegraphed contradiction, Mr W. T. Jennings lodged a petition at 12.40 p.m. to-day praying for ft scrutiny of all votes cast in the VVaitomo electorate and for the voiding of the election. He refuses to state the grounds of his petition, but it is understood that it arises out, of the magisterial recount at which, it is supposed, all votes by declaration (numbering some 70 odd) were rejected.