ELEMENT OF DOUBT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17525, 30 April 1925, Page 7

ELEMENT OF DOUBT.

CITY COUNCIL ELECTION RESULT MAY BE CHANGED. There is still an element of uncertainty regarding die result of the election of the City Council. The provisional final returns which were available shortly before 2 o clock this morning showed that eleven nominees of the Citizens’ Association and five nominees of tire Labour had been elected. It is possible, howevc., that the position may be changed when the recount is made, as Mr W. J. Sim (Citizen’s Association), who was at the bottom of the successful candidates has, on the present figures, a lead of only thirty votes over Mr G. T. Owen (Labour), who heads the list of unsuccessful candidates. The provisional returns were mostly received at the council office over the telephone and it is possible that errors in transmission occurred which may affect the result. It is also possible that mistakes may have been made in adding the figures on the large counting sheet. Mr Albert Freeman, assistant returning officer, who had charge of all the polling arrangements, stated this morning that the City Council election figures would not be checked until tomorrow at the earliest as to day the staff would be fully engaged in checking the rolls. lie stated that meanwhile the figures already made available must be regarded as provisional and not accepted, as an official result of the election. Jn the case of elections where the provisional figures showed fairb- substantial margins between the last successful candidate and ihe first unsuccessful candidate, it was unlike!v (hat the official counts would alter the results, but there was the possibility that the City Council result might be changed.