BRUCE LICENSING PETITION*

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11494, 29 January 1903, Page 5

BRUCE LICENSING PETITION*

DECISION RESERVED. (PUESS ASSOCIATION , TEUBGHAK.) DUNEDIN, January 28.The hearing of. the Bruce lioraeing petition wae concluded to-day. Mr Wood* house, in opening for the opponent* of the l>etition, contended that the evidence for the petition did not show that the poll baa. not been open ac required by law, and mnV mitted tlie secrecy of voting, while .«- sential in electoral voting, wae not a& m a licensing poll; that the simoltaneoua <ielirerv of the "ballot papers w» a physical impossibility as long as tiiey ***re under the control of separate officials, and that even if the alleged irregularities were proved they were no slight that they oould iwt be construed tw tending to defeat the fairness of the election. M.r Adiyne addreesetl the Court, on I>m<ctically the same lines as in the Mataura. petition. ■ ■ Mr Chapman, in implying for the petit ionere, contended that tb* *vid«noe ehoTTctl clearly the poll wa* not open within the hours prescribed by law. II hie Worship accepted the evidence foe had w> option but to declare the election roid. Aα to the secrecy of voting, it wae well known that there were .powerful interests ax work endeavouring to give effect to one or the other of the proxweals, and the people were entitled to be guarded against these influences by being afforded the opportunity of reoordirigi their vote* secretly. The law dearly recognised this, and insufficient, provision for secrecy wae a grave irregularity. TJecision was reserved.