TO PAY THE COSTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11332, 9 March 1915, Page 6

TO PAY THE COSTS.

—» BILL FOR PETITIONERS. NORTHERN MAORI SEAI. [Peu Press Association.) ,\rCKI,A.\l>, March f>. Judges Mor-kiitg itiitl Stringer, who heflrd the petH-iou sgainst t.ho return of Tjni TTeunro for tin> Novtherri Maori seat tti-day onlrrrd the petitioners, tw.-. native;,, t-o pny the costs, whii-.h mnount to between CloO and £"-ot>. Mr Justice Hosking said suthrietti. gromul lied not been shown why tho Court should depart trout the rule thiit, the successful side .should get costs. Mr -Justice Stringer remarked that tlx« petitioners had proceeded on n hnre teehirieality. They knew or ought to hare known that it was necessary to go heyond that in order t-o have the election declared void. To succeed that, irregularly must affect, tho result of the election, yet the petitioners knew or ought t-o have known that the only effect of irregularity wns adverse to the successful rmididmte. H was proved from the evidence for the> petitioners that in st.ll probability a great nuniber-of vol,";-, would Tt'ave been given in Tnu fiirour. Tn view of the facts known to the petitioners, tlto petition should not hnve been presented. The Judges remarked that the charges were not to the discredit of the returning officer.