NEWTOWN LICENSING PETITION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11495, 30 January 1903, Page 6

NEWTOWN LICENSING PETITION.

(PEESS ASSOCIATION TELEGHAM.)

WELLINGTON, January 29. The hearing of the petition lodged against the recent licensing poll at Newtown was continued to-day by Dr. McArthur. S.Jt. Evidence was called to show that certain persons had been . enrolled who were ineligible to exercise the franchise, and that irregularities had occurred nt the polling booths through the absence of oflicials, the ballot and licenfiiiig papers being handed separately to electors, and through crowding booths being permitted. Counsel for the petitioners applied to have a scrutiny taken of the ballot papers for the purpose of striking out those cast by persons wlw> had been illegally enrolled, counsel for the parties interested in maintaining the poll opposed this on the ground that the roll tmieb be accepted na conclusive. Neither upon a municipal petition nor :v Parliamentary petition was there power to do that which was now aeked. Counsel for the petitioners maintained that the provisions of the Electoral Act, 1902, in regard to the election of members of the House of Representatives, must, be held , to n-pply to the local opton polls. If that ■wsre not the case there would be the anomaly of two elections taken simultaneously determined by different principles. He maintained that there was nothipg in the Acts relating to local elections to say that the roll was conclusive. Dr.. McArthur eaid he would give bis decision in the morning.