The Wellington Seat.

Hastings Standard, Issue 250, 18 February 1897, Page 3

The Wellington Seat.

(By Tele^kaph.) (/\ /• / V..-!«.■<»-iiftion.) Wellington, Fob. 1-3. Tlie Petition Court met this afternoon but adjourned again immediately as the recount was -till unlimited. The case may po-sibly be finished tomorrow, but that is unlikely, as the Judges said it would probably take a day to extract the ballot papers bearing on the charges of personation. It is understood that the recount so far as it has gone gives Mr Fisher three or fonr more than his official majority overMr Atkinson, but there are some 100 papers in dispute for alleged irregularities which will have to be submitted to the Judges.

Should the net result turn the scale in Mr Atkinson's fovor there are .still to be taken the cases of personation alleged by the respondent as against the other side. A scrutiny of the seamen's vote reduces Mr Fisher's majority by five. This dav.

The Registrar reported to the Petition Court 5,73* undisputed votes for Fisher and -5,710 for Atkinson ; of seamen's votes, 21 were for Fisher and 6 for Atkinson. Of those disputed there -were 13 for Fisher and 11 for Atkinson rejected as informal, which, however, Mr Skerrett claimed should be allowed. There were also left in dispute 36 for Fisher and 21 for Atkinson.

The objections of seamen's votes ■was not properly signed by the Collector of Customs, but the Court disallowed the objection, leaving Fisher with a majority of 30, apart from other disputed votes, which the Court then proceeded to examine. On most of them there was considerable argument and a number of English cases cited. This portion of the case is still going on.