NEARING THE CLOSE

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18069, 17 March 1923, Page 9

NEARING THE CLOSE

— MAORI ELECTION PETITION. THE COURT’S FINDINGS. PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM AUCKLAND, Friday. In tlio Maori election petition case, . Judge Hoslan said that of thirteen five- had been adandoiicdj four Voluntarily, one on the suggestion ■of the Court. Of the remaining eight j His Honour gave reasons why six should not he sustained. He would like to hear evidence on the two remaining charges. These dealt with the alleged threat to have a native interpreter’s . license cancelled, and the alleged threat jto replace natives by Europeans on certain public works. Dr Pomaro and his secretary gave j evidence, generally denying the allej gat-ions. I Tlie Court held that the two remaining charges were not proven. Argument is being hold on the quesi tion whether there had been such abuse ( of the secrecy of the ballot as would justify the Court in declaring the election valid. . . In its judgment on the election petition by way of general comment, the Court, criticisng the ovidenco in rej gavd to the many charges, said the method in which it was got together might give an explanation. The circuI lar that was sent out in the name of Katana, beginning with a religious invocation, went on to ask for informal tion concerning bribery connected with various matters, setting out partious • lars in detail. No doubt that circular I had been much discussed at various villages, and had caused a largo amount of current gossip. No doubt many j people who hoard that gossip had taken. : it. for fact, otherwise tlio Court was at a loss to account for a good deal of the evidence that had been given, evidence that on tlio face of it appeared to be without foundation. The date/ for giviim- the decision in regard to the counter foils will be fixed at Wellington : on April 9.