JUDGMENT NEXT WEEK

Chronicle (Levin), 10 May 1947, Page 4

JUDGMENT NEXT WEEK

, — press AssoGiation

Raglan Hearing Concludes

By Telegraph

HAMILTON, May 9. After four weeks or 19 sitting clays, the Eleetoral Court at 5 p.m. today eoneluded the hearing of the petition by Mr. Hallyburton Johnstone (Nafional) asking the Court to declare him elected for Raglan instead of Mr. Baxter (Labour). * The sitting has by far outlasted any previous Eleetoral Court fixture in New Zealand and °- Ihe Judges have a f ormidable task' to perforni before the jiidgment is deliverea. Legal argument has' occtipied the Court '-since shortly after noon on Tuesday. Mr. T. P. Cleary, for respondent, addressed the Court for approximately nine hours and Mr. W. J. Sim, K.C., . required only a slightly longer time to present his submissions. Although any summaiy oi: tbe fate of the objcctions by bplh sides is difficult beeause of the complicated system of categories and classifSeations. followecl by eonnsel dnring the hearing and jn making their submissions, it is possible to assess the relative fortunes of petitioner and respondent in regard to their objeetions 011 the grounds of resideriee, lineap'e, alienage and infancy. In these groups the JoHowing figures, although not official, are approximately correct : — ' Objeetions proved and admit-, ted: Petitioner 60, respondent 34 (four names common to both lists). Aclmitted to bave failed: P.etitioner 22, respondent 17. Still undecided: Petitioner 21, respondent 10. . These figures do not embraee the large number jof objeetions by both sides to postal and absentee votes or to the small group of deelaration votes which has been challenged. The position in regard to these latter groups is more obscure until the Court delivers juclgment but it ■ is evident that from the. elasscs of objeetions summarised nearly 100 votes will have to be scrutinised by the Court. Before the Court adjourncd sine die, the chief justiee said the first task of the Court. would f>e to consider those votes still in dispute in order to decide which votes -would be subject to scrutiny. The scrutiuy would then be made ancl the result could be made known shortly afterwards but many legal questions would be involved and judgment would have to be carefully eonsidered and prepared. The Court would remain in Hamilton 'if at all possible long enougb to deliver judgmeut here. He hopcd judgment could be giveu by next "Wednesday but there was a possibility that the judgment might have to be deliverod in Wellington instead of Hamilton. Argument as to costs could be heard after the judgment was delivere.d. * The eleetion count gave Mr. Baxter a majority of 33.