MAORI ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2452, 4 May 1915, Page 9

MAORI ELECTIONS

. ♦»—— DRUNKEN YOUTHS VOTE TWICE NO QUESTIONS ASKED (By Telogroph.-Prcss Association.)

Clsborne, May 3. A smohcht oa the manner in whioh Bomo Maori olcctions aro conducted was thrown b.y two prosecutions at sittings of tho Magistrate's Court at "Waipiro Bay, when two Natives woro charged with a broach of tho Legislature Act ill that having once voted at a booth they voted at another booth, in tho «amo election, thus committing the olionco of impersonation. _h) entariiig a plea of guilty, Mr. , Kirk, of Gisbornoj for the accused, said that on tho day of the elcctiou, and before voting, accused woro approached by a pakoha, who gave them intoxicating liquor. They thon voted at tho first polling booth. They ottauied more liquor illegally, and proceeded together to Tuparoa. They woro then in a state of intoxication, but notwithstanding this, they were allowed to vote. Accused were young men ?i Y*} s ®l®ction at whi;h they had bad the privilego of exercising tho franchise. When they voted the second time he submitted that they did not know what they were doing. Next day they told what they had done, 3jld one pi them went to the assistant returning officer a* Tuparoa and asked if ne had really voted there. On recuiva reply ill the affirmative, ho asked iL c 1? TOt ' n g P a Per be taken out of the ballot-box, but this, of course could not be done. Mr. Kirk submitted that the young men should not . have been allowed to vote at Tuparoa, and suggested that they bo not punished, but ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. The Magistrate (Mr. Florance) commented severely. on the state of affairs revealed, and asked that the assistant returning officer be brought'before him. Xhis was done.

, This official, a Maori, admitted that he had not asked the-men if they had already' voted. He said they were drunk, but knew what they wore doing, and that was why he allowed them to vote.

The Magistrate convicted the accused and ordered them to come up for sentence when called upon. This would mean that they would not be allowed to vote next election. He said that c E r< ? S€cu tion bad revealed a state of affairs which lie considered it his duty to represent to the Chief Electoral Officer, and severely admonished the witness, pointing out the gravity of the situation, and saying he would probably be prevented from acting in an official capacity again.