ELECTION PETITION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2361, 18 January 1915, Page 6

ELECTION PETITION

LODGED BY MR. C. K. WILSON I DUNEDIN CENTRAL BY-ELECTION Mr. C. K. TVilßon, Reform candidate for the Taumarunui electorate, for which Mr. W. T. Jennings was declared elected, has lodged an election petition, asking for a semtiny by an Election Court of the'votes polled at the different polling places in the electorate. It is alleged in the petition that a larger number of voting papers were deposited in the ballot-boxes than was the number of electors who are shown to have voted; also that there were numbers of cases of dual voting, and that the votes so recorded illegally have not been disallowed. The petition also bets forth a number of other alleged irregularities. A petition has been lodged in Hawke's 1 Bay, but no petition has been lodged in Eden as was threatened, and.as the time has expired no petition can now be presented. There are still rumours circulating among Oppositionists that Mr. J. \V. Munro still intends to petition to be declared duly elected for Duriedin Central on the polling of December 10. If Mr. Munro really did intend at any time to present a petition he has lost his opportunity, for the seat has been declared vacant, consequent on Mr. Statham's and the law is quite clear that a petition may not be considered by the Court after a writ to supply the vacancy has been issued. The writ was issued on Saturday, and the 'polling will take' place on February 2, ■ '■ " .