LYTTELTON SEAT.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1925, Page 4

LYTTELTON SEAT.

NO DECISION YET. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 11. The returning officer for the L.vt I elion electorate (Mr J. N. Neville) stated yesterday morning that he could not yet declare the result of the elect ion. lie was still awaiting the arrival of tiesix absentee votes. When questioned, Mr Neville added that lie could not divulge whether any of the votes had arrived by that morning's mail. He hoped to start the official count of the licensing vote-; on Monday.

THE SfK AITSSIXC PAPERS. . WELLINGTON. Nov. 13. It is highly improbable that the six missing ballot pallet's, I lie appearance of which will settle the fate of one ol Ike contestants lor the Lyttelton seat, have been lost, and the probabilities are that the papers will he unearthed among the licensing papers when t lie official (mini in that connection is undertaken. Such an- ill*.- views ot the Chief Electoral Office on the position that lias arisen ai Lyttelton over t In-

imn-apponranee of --is voting papers for which the returning ndiccr has the necessary absentee applical inns. Briefly the non pi-m odnre relating to absentee voting is as lollous: An eleelnr applies :■ < a polling booth. for an absentee vote. He fills in a printed apnlieation form and rereives electoral and licensing ballot papers. Alter they have heel irked they are relumed to lire deputy returning officer who. in the presence of the .‘lector, encloses the electoral ballot paper in an envelope especially prepared for the purpose ami the licensing voting paper in another envelope specially labelled "licensing voting paper,” so as to distinguish it from 1.1-0 electoral envelope. The two envelopes, together with the application. are enclosed in another envelope and addressed to the returning officer of the district for which’the vote was recorded. On receipt ol this package the returning ollicer opens it and removes the application form. Alter aseertaning that the elector was entitled to vote the ollicer places the envelope containing the electoral ballot paper into a box labelled "Electoral anil the licensing paper into another box described "Licensing.’ Mhen the count is made the approved envelopes are opened in the presence ol the scrutineers. and if the votes are valid they are allowed. All ballot papers which are not supported by applications are disallowed. It lias boon found in some eases that electoral ballot papers have been enclosed in a licensing envelope, and if such is lhe ease in uvtteltou electorate the six- missing voting papers will not he discovered until the official count of Ihe licensing papers has been completed. MISSING VOTES, cri RISTC it UTi CTI, Nov. 15. With six absentee votes to come Mr McCombs has a load of only one vote for the Lyttelton seat. The six absentee votes have not been received, and the probabilities are that they will he found in the licensing absentee votes. Only when a count of the icensing papers is made will it he pos,iblo to determine whether the six nissing voting papers have been plac'd inadvertently in licensing envelopes. Experience in other constituencies ms shown that this is a possible cxlanation of the failure of six papers ■ r> appear. It is certain that a Magisterial reaunt will he demanded by whichever lmlidate loses. If the majority, after | te magisterial recount, is less than x, and the missing absentee papers re not found, the o. nest ion. no doubt onld he referred to an Electoral Court hick is set up on the receipt of a e ’tiLion from one of the candidate I is within the power of stteli a Court t declare an election void. A