RECORD POLL IN OTAKI

Chronicle (Levin), 1 December 1949, Page 4

RECORD POLL IN OTAKI

Mr. J. J. Maher Returned With Majority 01 246 It is estimate'd that when the complete sumihary is available, the Otaki e.ectorate's total pcL will readh the" record figure of some 17,000 votes. Last night's count revealed that 15,274 electors had exereised their right. It is oeneved that there will be 400 postal votes and possibly up to luU declaration votes. Telegraph advice has been received of 860 absentee votes. Taking these figures as a guide, , some 1360 votes are still to be. counted, whne about 80 votes at .present classed as informal have to be considered.

In view of this the Otaki seat is classified as doubtful, the sitting member, Mr. J. J. Maher (National), having a lea'd -of only 246 votes over the Labour candidate, Mr. J. J. D. Capstick. However, with the trend of voting so decisively away from Labour, Mr. Maher's chances of ultimately emerging with a majority must be considered bright. The booth in Levin for absentee votes had a very busy day yesterday handling 196 electors who were away from their own electorates. An idea of the pressure on the staff with such a heavy poll can be gauged from the fact tha.t one booth alone in the Levin Courthouse put through 832 persons, a retord for an individual booth in this eiectorate.The result of the preliminary count was , available at 8.50 p.m., which says much for the speed and efficiency of those manning the booths throughout the eiectorate and the returning pfficer, Mr. H. J. Henderson, and his staff. Below are given details of the voting at the various booths in the Otaki and Manawatu electorates: —

Maher Capstick Akatarawa, Clouston's 6 12 Akatarawa, Tomkins' 70 43 Hokio Beach 9 21 Judgeford 36 17 Kaitoke : . 48 94 Levin Courthouse 855 479 Levin School 701 718 Levin Dairy Co 101 30 Manakau School .... 184 62 Mangaroa School 56 20 G'hau School 213 69 Otaki School 396 347 Otaki Beach 139 87 Otaki Railway 201 219 Paekakariki 250 324 Pahautanui School .. 83 31 Paraparaumu School . . 254 154 Paraparaumu Beabh . . 252 118 laremata 185 210 Pinehaven School 'l72 125 Plimmerton School . . 332 361 Fukerua School 95 140 Raumati Beach 101 91 Raumati South 125 91 Reikorangi School ... 58 12 Silverstream Club 385 448 £ ilverstream Hospital 24 73 Stokes Valley 217 323 Te Horo School ...» 181 84 T'e Marua School 59 49 Trentham, Howell's . . 287 380 Trentham School 198 285 Trentham Camp 159 495 Upper Hutt School . • . . 301 380 Upper Hutt Hall 449 636 Waikanae School 145 99 Waikanae Beach .... 112 38 Waiohanga 15 17 Wallace ville Station . . 176 231 Wallace ville, Clifford's 39 9 Weraroa T.C. * 21 22 Weraroa, Kimberley . . 79 27 Whiteman's Valley ... 42 11 7720 7474

OTAKI

Oram Rodgers Aokautere 88 15 Apiti 163 57 Aratika 21 4 Ashhurst 253 132 Awahou 37 6 Awapuni 165 125 Bainesse 56 13 Bunnythorpe 220 180 Carnarvon 1 49 6 Carnarvon 2 -69 10 Colyton 139 36 litzherbert 74 31 Foxton 537 679 Glen Oroua 101 25 Himatangi Beach .... 22 13 Hiwinui 41 6 Ihakara 80 24 Kairanga .1 55 34 Kairanga 2 166 30 Kelvin Grove 53 35 Komako 31 3 Kopane 129 12 Koputaroa 71 35 Levin 138 40 Linton 1 143 50 Linton 2 48 24 Longburn " 168 125 Makerua » Manawatu Heads 96 92 Mangaore 24 31 Milson 107 207 Mt. Richards 22 l Moutoa 29 13 Newbury 193 39 Opiki 17} 64 Oroua Downs 151 69 P.N. No. 1 - 645 334 ( P.N. No. 2 627 444 P N No. 3 230 118 P N No 4 406 255 p!n! No. 5 61 80 Pohangina 57 12 Poroutawhao 86 13 Ranglotu . . \ • • ■ 130 51 Raumai 72 6 Rongotea 243 81 Shannon 321 373 Table Flat 22 14 Taikorea 78 44 Tangimoana 56 43 Taonui 117 53 Te Arakura 73 15 Tiakitahuna 72 3 Tiritea 58 9 Tokomaru 145 129 Umutoi • 37 2 Utuwai 31 3 Waiata 42 7

Waitarere 62 21 Whakarongo 144 57 7648 4442 Informal 57

MANAWATU