THE LATE ELECTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13810, 22 January 1909, Page 5

THE LATE ELECTION.

DUNEDIN NORTH SEAT.

Per Press "Association

, DTJNEDIN, Jan. 21.- ; This morning in the Supreme Court the petition and objections of A., R. Barclay and G.;M.-Thomson, respe6tively,; concerning the Dunedin North! election; were lodged. ; 'Mr Barclay's petition after citing the alleged improperly, allowed or disallowed votes, tables his reasons as under—

I.—Two" voters were aliens and wore not British siibjeets when enrolled and were not -entitled to bb enrolled.

2. —Seven voters are disqualified from voting. • ' , ' • 3. —One of the absent voters' votes should ho disqualified according to law. 4.—One other vote should he treated as informal. '

Respondent's objections may he summarised as under —

I.—The six votes mentioned in the petition were properly disallowed by the. returning officer. 2.—ln addition to the votes allowed to Mr Thomson at the election _ lie should have received two votes given for him under number 2220, which votes wore improperly ■■ disallowed by the returning officer ,6n the alleged ground that one person had voted in two different polling places, . whereas two different persons had voted for him in two different polling places.

3.—The vote of the .absent voter recorded in his favour as mentioned in the petition was rightly recorded. 4. —It was not correct as alleged in the petition that some of tho ballot papers rejected as informal were valid votes recorded in favour of. the petitioner, but some of the ballot papers wore valid votes given for the respondent.

5. —On the above grounds and because the petitioner should have been disallowed all the votes mentioned in the list of votes objected to by the respondent, the respondent said tbat petitioner would riot have received a majority of valid votes recorded. G.—A general recount of votes could not now be made as seventeen of the ballot papers used at the election and containing votes given and recorded in respondent's favour had been abstracted from the custody of the returning officer, and could not be foun:l.