BAY OF ISLANDS SEAT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 743, 6 February 1915, Page 5

BAY OF ISLANDS SEAT.

A PETITION LODGED. Wellington, Thursday. An election petition was lodged yesterdav against Mr Vernon Reed'a return for the Bay of Islands seat. The petition alleges bribery. The petitioners are Edward Evana, storekeeper, of Waipapakauri, and Edward Al ierton Parson, mechanic, of Waipuna. The petition is understood to make the following allegations:—• 1. That Mr Reed promised Mr Wilkinson —the other Reform candidate — that if he would retire from the contest and assist him with his vote and influence he would procure for him a seat in the Legislative Council. 2. That Mr Reed, or his agent, offered to hand Mr Wilkinson a blank signed cheque which Mr Wilkinson might fill ud for any amount required to cover his election expenses. 3. That Mr Reed promised, in the event of Mr Wilkinson retiring from the contest,, to vacate the seat at the end of a year, and to give Mr Wilkinson ev<-ry possible assi tance in winning the by-elerticn. 4. "That Mr Reed promised an elector, if he and his family voted for bim, the elector would be given the position of a country postmaster. 5. That Mr Reed promised certain persons that if they voted for him he would procure for them valuable gum land concessions.

6 That Mr Reed promised other persons, if they voted for him, he, would pay them sums of money. 7. That at one of the polling booths the deputy - returning officer directed an elector to vote for Mr Reed. 8. That Mr Reed was preseni at the counting of the votes at one of the booths. The result of the poll was as foK lows:—Reed, 2328, Te Rangihiroa 2220, Wilkinson 1576—majority for Reed 108. .