PETITION SUCCEEDS

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 187, 16 August 1935, Page 6

PETITION SUCCEEDS

NORSEWOOD RIDING CASE ONE MAN’S VOTE EXCLUDED (Per Press Association) DANNEVIRKE, Last Night. Arising out of the by-election for the Norsewood riding of the Dannevirke Couty Council caused by the death of a member, Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., this afternoon heard a petition signed by the defeated candidates and five rate-payers asking that the poll be declared void on the grounds of alleged irregularities. The petition was granted. When the poll was provisionally declared there was a double’ deadheat—a tie for first and second places. On the official recount tne Returning officer declared Mr H. A. Olsen elected by a majority of one vote. Mr H. Frederickson, who figured in the tie for first, was one of the petitioners to have the poll declared void. Evidence was given by Albert O. A. Petersen, farmer, of Norsewood, that he had received rate demands for 1934 and 1935 which he paid on December 3. When he made application to the deputy-Returning Officer on the day of the by-election he was told that his name was not on the roll. He voted by declaration, his vote subsequently being disallowed. The demand for rates was in his name. The Returning Officer, Mrs. F. M. Baker, stated in evidence that she had disallowed Mr. Petersen’s declaration vote because she had no knowledge of his voting qualifications.

Evidence was given by a former assistant in the county office that she had been advised that Mr. Petersen had taken over a property, and she altered the rate demand and re-post-ed it to Mr. Petersen.

The Magistrate said that that should have been sufficient notice that Mr. Petersen was the occupier of the property. Mr. Petersen, when forwarding postal notes in payment of his rates, emphasising in a covering note that these were his rates which he was paying, and that was sufficient knowledge to the local authority that he was entitled to vote. Mr. Petersen had not had an opportunity of ascertaining whether he was on the roll because the roll had not been deposited in Norsewood riding.

As there was only one vote between the parties this might have affected the election.

His Worship declared the election void, with costs totalling £4 16/6 against the Returning Officer.