ELECTION PETITIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3611, 29 May 1923, Page 59

ELECTION PETITIONS.

TROUBLES AT FEILDING. FEILDING, May 21. At the municipal elections on April 26, a pell was taken on the half-holiday question, resulting in Saturday being retained by 34 votes. This poll has now been upset by the Wednesday supporters, who petitioned the court for an inquiry, claiming that the ballot paper was ambiguous and misleading. The inquiry was held to-day before Mr R. M. Watson, S.M. The petitioners produced a number of witnesses, who Said the" were misled by the directions on the voting paper, which read: “The voter is required to nut a cross opposite the name of the working day for which he desires to vote.” It was contended that the words “working day” were misleading. The magistrate held that th voting paper did mislead, and voided the poll and ordered another. A second inquiry was held on the same election, / the result dealng with the Borough Council. One of the candidates who was declared elected was Mr V. E. Smith, who is a large ratepayer, and had been a councillor for s x years. By accident his name was omitted from the printed District Electors’ List, and Mr A. Cleland, who was the only candidate not elected, petitioned against Mr Smith’s election on the ground that his name was no!: on the roll. Mr Cleland asked that he be declared elected. B,idence was taken that Mr Smith’s name was accidentally omitted from the printed 1 st, though it was entitled to be there. The magistrate reserved his decision.