WAIRAU ELECTION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1341, 19 January 1912, Page 4

WAIRAU ELECTION.

PETITION AGAINST MR. M'CALLUM'S RETURN. \ f rßy Telerraph.—Press Asßoclatloa.l Blenheim, January 18, In accordance with the Acts, the pcti- ■ lioncrs against Mr. M'Callum's election - for Wairau advertise the full text of the ' grounds of the petition in the "Express" 3 to-night. Tiio petition is very lengthy, 1 comprising: 27 clauses. Summarised, the " grounds of proceedings are tllo following * allegations:— That Mr. M'Callum was guilty of 1 bribery in treating, using undue- inj (iuence, intimidation of electors, and ; other corrupt illegal practices, whereby an honest, pure, and fair election was [ not held. Thcrcforo it should bo declared ' void. That after a meeting of electors at Grovetown, Mr. M'Callum announced '_ that his chairman of committee would "shout," that they proceeded to a hotel, whero Mr. M'Callum addressed the electors and supplied them with drink and entertainment, paid for directly or by nu agent. That at Picton, Havelock, Marlboroughtown, Okaramio, Scddon, and Mirza, Mr. M'Callum provided meat, drink, and intoxicating liquors to a large number of electors, for tho purpose of influencing their votes. That ut Grove Road, Blenheim, thero was n polling place at the grain store of . Mr. M'Callum's brother,' whero largo quantities of liquor were supplied to the ■ electors, whereto Mr. M'Callum was . accessory. That large quantities of intoxicating . liquor were supplied to the electors at ■ Seddon; that the agent of Mr. M'Callum ' thero importuned the electors to vote for i Mr. M'Callum, and supplied them with ; liquor supplied by Mr. M'Callum. s That n member of Mr. M'Callum's cumi mitteo gave tho electors at Mirza iinmcy i to buy liquor prior to the socond ballot. That Mr. M'Callum, made contracts for J payment for the conveyance of electors to'nml from the polling booths al tho 1 elections. That (he secretary of Mr. M'Callum's ' committee was scon to instruct the drivers of such conveyances to convey the electors to tho poll to vote for Mr. ' M'Callum. That a prominent member of Mr. M'Callum's committee stood at the principal booth) accosting the electors and urging them to vote for Mr. M'Callum, thus intimidating electors. Tliat the same thing occurred at another polling place. That 11 r. M'Callum was guilty of a corrupt, practice at the first ballot, inasmuch as his total expense exceeded ,£2OO, and in the second ballot his total expense exceeded .£SO. That Mr. M'Callum promised, and that the chairman of committees offered, 1 money to a canvasser to procure votes; tliat the promised money was paid after the election. Clauses are also inserted alleging that bets were made by members of Mr. M'Callum's committee and prominent supporters, thereby influencing the voles I of electors.