THE LOCAL OPTION POLL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10820, 10 December 1902, Page 5

THE LOCA L OPTION POLL.

. 4 v — - — — . j Petition to Declare Polls Invalid

(Per United Press Association.) - NEW PLYMOUTH, December 9. The Egmont licensing poll is now declared. The total voters were 3528, con- • tinuance 1862, reduction 863, no license 1403, informal 167. - ' . DUNEDIN, December 9. The petitions* have been lodged to haye 1 declared void 'the local option polls at Port Chalmers, where 'prohibition, was carried, and Caversham, where reduction was ■ carried, on various grounds of alleged irregularities. ' •> The recount for Port Chalmers local option poll has not been concluded. It appears a difficulty has occurred through .the ° voting papers from one of the .polling .' ' booths not having come to 'hand.' . ' WKLLlNGTONrpecember dl Sixty-six electors , at Newtown have lodged a petition at the Magistrate's Court praying to have the recent licensing' poll lor that district declared void on' account of certain irregularities in edrinectfon With ' the manner in which the voting was conducted. ' ,'..-:. ; ITie Crown Prosecutor, has informed the ' Inspector of Police that, in the absence of prescribed penalties it is. useless to proceed against persons who distributed 1 mock ballot papers during election day.' ' ' • ASHBURTON, December 9. . A petition signed, by. 60 electors W23 lodged to-day with the- object i of upsetting the .result of the local option poll by, which -no-license was declared carried; The in--quiry has been fixed for the iSth. The I following is a summary of the grounds set out m tfie petition: — Improper notice given of time of poll and place of paliingbooths; hours not kept according to law; voting papers not given out s^multane- . ■ ously; failing to Bhow stamps oh voting- 1 papers; conversing in the polling-booths; „ more than six voters in booths 1 * at one ■ ' time; deputy-registrar's officers absenting themselves from booths ' without appointing substitute; electors not allowed to : vote, although names on roll;, poll improperly held, there being no vfllid roll.