Western Maori Seat.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1923, Page 1

Western Maori Seat.

PETITION ACAfNST POAIABE. f tiV Tn,W;!! .U’H --PEII fukss \ssotiatio\M TADRANCA, -March 7. The hearing of the election petition against the return ot Sir Al. Roman* for the Wesiern Maori electoral district commenced to-day before Justices Nosking and Stringer. .Messrs C. PSkerrett, K.C. (Wellington), and Air l.evi (Wellington) appeared for the titioner, Kanapu Haerehuka, ot Wanganui, and Messrs Alyers, iv.f ~ and 6’Deary (Wellington) for Sir At. Pom a re.

Thirteen sisecitic cases ol bribery, corruption and illegal practices are al ley'll, and irregularities, improprieties, and iailure to comply with the Regis latui'e \.-I in the taking ot the poll arc also alleged.

The allegation oi bribery am! corrupt ion are : I I t Poimire direct ly or indirectly gave to I atnaiwliiwa R.nwiri of Thames. t'27 or thereabouts, wiili a view to influencing Pomare’*; return: Cl) that I’oiuare through Kohl Taukiwaho gave one Teirikia at Tauranga a hot tie of beer to induce him to vote lor Pomare; (fit that Poinarc or Frank Perkins, storekeeper of Pukekobe. was responsible for providing meat and drink lor an entertainment for electors; (I) that Pomare himself or by others, caused drink to lie provided at the Star Hotel. Tauraliga for electors: (5) that Pomare. oil or about November l!>. al a meeting at Afatapil.i. near Tauraliga. promised to secure the rei iislal ement of persons present who were previously employed on railwav works; (It) that shortly before ;i., lection, Pomare directly or iudireetU procured the reinstatement ol certain electors on railway works: (it that at Muir's gold mine near Tepuke, on or about November ’JO. Pomare or his a*'ent committed corrupt practices by treating, bribery and undue in(ln-

euce, to induce certain persons to vote for him: (d that Pomare at various places in Taranaki himself, or through others, shortly before the election threatened as Native Minister to indict injury, damage, harm or loss on

certain electors. by excluding then from the list of beneficial Native owners of tlie Native lands known as Ain kin and llapotaici. vested in the nublie Trustee under the West Coast Sol-

id sale to the Ciowii, and from participation in the purchase money tulles they voted for him; (!') that on or about November I, Pomare at .Manala elfcred oi proud *d Hud certain • do! tors should be relieved from pax no ill of county rates, or that enforeci meld of payment would be considerably delayed; (10) that Pomare, on or about December 15, paid Co or some other sum to Ralph Grant of Pupukura for hire ot a motor ear lor convcvanco ol (dect oi*' to the noli : ill that in Dccemher Pomare );:iid C 5 or son ther sum to R, Burgess of Papaktiru for the hire ol a motor ear for I be eeiivcvaneo of electors to the poll. (1C) that on or ahoul August IS, Pomare olfered L - 2 •"' "*mo other sum to Caiigi Marumaru to in.line him to vote for Pomare: ( l.'ti i hat oil or ahold Align-:! IS Pomare himself or through some other person, threatened to endeavour to procure the cancellation o! I the Native interpreter license held by I Rangi Uarmnant. The petitioner claims alternatively j t Imt if ilii'se alleged corrupt practice* i did not constitute corrupt practices, I then Poinare was guilty of illegal pra.' 1 - * tiies. The irregularities, improprieties and failures alleged a>" • (a) I hat <h- ; piitv retili ning nTwerassociates were ■ it: many ca-c, active panic- witn Po- . laare. and ilitei'b-rc:! with votes in : booths, and before and on Hu* day ot i In; election, canvassed for voles lor Pomare: (b) tbal in certain cases Hu* ‘ name written on llm voting paper was ! not the name of the candidate tin* j elector desired to vote lor; (c) that ; li giiir was supplied to electors mi (fie ! dnv of the elect urn. particularly all : day al the Rtur Hotel. Tauraliga, and , ip tin* shed adjoining.'! the polling bon ,■ ! at Pad I |:l"ck ; id) t!m r in some eases ; the associate and deputy returning nfiij v,'rote ilic name of the cnudidale i oil H'C voting paper, and in many eases ! He* voi ing paper ivi-s not initialled ai i coni red ; (el t ha 1 at Pukekohe "» ; election day free loud and drink "en* I supplied to elec*- !'*- pre-omed to be I voting for Pomare; <n that many eases of double voting occurred : (g) that the Governor, acting uniler Pomare s ad vi,*c as Native Minister, failed to appoint polling booths al several pho ("■ where the*.' were reasonably required, ■dt hough siii'b appointments were leeoiiimonded : finally, Ihtif it '*/ ,s cd that sue]i general undue influence, ini imidal ion, iiiisi'eiii'i,"entalion and iiregidari'.ies prevailed during and prior to the election as to render the election void. . * The Court was thronged with a m gathering <d .Maoris from all parts <" *)... *vtctisive electorate. All witnesses were "ordered I he G'-nrl except ('.■■wav. s'j,- AC Poim'.re's private secretary. Air Skerrett, in opening, ponded out there were four candidates im * Wesiern Maori sea!., but the contest resolved itself into one between j mare and Ratana. tin* former securing m-» votes, and ihe It.tire JO.!, : »»'’ tl„. other' IWO seeni"d SUM between them. The electorate wim very exU-n----siv the tie being 17!) polling bnolbs. Tin* whole object of Pomare was to detach the supporters el llatana. c*l dealt first with the charges o » - • t'e re-nt in! ymea d Maoris at Mnf pilo a * 11 1 la- * not *p telegrams h- : wee a Pomare and the l bn. Coi»t«« t ■ show that Pomare •used hr- »t m< " - i„ the matter " wtld’tdsn 'he"adduced to show tied ter.” unless Ran-i Marumaru -.«P,oil him. with a vu ''' . ° -, i, ternretcr's license h.en.K eauv, lied. D i ~ll,wed and would h" shown v as also a I leg' " • that drink was snnphed to was there, with , , , became intoxicated and one ot * ■ est natives declared that all would sup - port Pomare. Reganlmg tlm that a bottle of beer was g. • Ko . Tnuhiw'ti at Tauranga. it would shown that Kohi was a prohibited pered but was charaetenstie ot the s>. , ' «Jmsfed hv Pomare in canvassnv. or'voSs I H!Ae charge of supplying liquor at the Star Hotel. Tauranga on div wlien the Act provided tint native's'in list not he supplied that rXkie" Vviilence would he called dealing with isolated ease* m com.eeII The W fiwt witness'called was Ngahuia Ngatai. a native woman, living at Ala-

tatapiln, near Tauraliga, who was present at a meeting when the matter regarding employment was discussed She said Pomare had telegrams, and explained what passed between him and the fJoti Coates, and also pmr, ised that if the hoys vole,! for liim he would have them reinstated. To Air .Myers, witness stated she was a follower of Ratana seni<*r, and was at pros-uit at his pa on Tauranga [larbour. She bad not heard Hie matter of ovilleiie to l-v g: ,- * ' i|i 'll: sad at Ilia of the meetings, and certainly not a religious meetings. She was at Retain!, near Turnkina, at Christmas, but the matier of the evidence was not discussed there as far as she knew.