THE ELECTIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 306, 24 December 1914, Page 7

THE ELECTIONS.

BUNGLE AT DUNEDIN.

STATHAM RETURNED.

Per Press Association. Dunedin, December 23. The official recount of the votes polled in the Dunedin Central election was completed to-day, and the result was declared as follows: Statham (G) Munro (L)

3744 3732

Majority for Statham ... 12 Informal ... ... 199 The official result as given hy the returning officer was : Munro ... a ,, 3799

Statham (G) Informal

... 3744 78

It is understood that 118 votes were invalidated through the error of one deputy returning officer, who worked the voters’ numbers openly on the back of the voting papers instead of on the counterfoil only, thus violating the secrecy of the ballot.

Mr Munro stated to-night that the fault occurred in the Caversham polling booth, where 116 voters were disfranchised, practically through the iucompotency of the poll clerk. He stated that of these votes 69 were in favor of himself and 47 in favor of Mr Statham*. Mr Statham was now 12 votes ahead, but if these voting papers had been correctly issued he (Mr Munro) would have had a majority of 10. A meeting is being held to-night with a view to going into the position, and if they found grounds for doing so the necessary steps would he taken to invalidate the election.

It is understood that there is a possibility that Mr Statham, in view of the circumstances which have arisen in connection with the recount tin Dunedin Central, may consider the questio nof resigning the seat for the purpose of contesting a fresh election. f WELLINGTON EAST RECOUNT. Wellington, December 23. The following are the final figures as to the resxdt of the recount in the Wellington East election, reducing Dr. Newman’s majority by 39: Newman ... ... 4062 McLarin ... ... 4014 Majority for Newman 48 Informal ... ... 64