THE KAIAPOI ROLL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5767, 23 September 1879, Page 2

THE KAIAPOI ROLL.

Christchurch, Monday. Respecting the alleged informality in the Kaiapoi roll, the Press of this morning says ; —“ The facts regarding the roll are these : Thirty-one names sent in by the Road Board official to the registration officer, who takes charge of the Kaiapoi and Ashley rolls, intended for the latter roll, were in error inserted in the former roll, and, so it is presumed, passed the revising officer also. A day or two, however, after the Kaiapoi rolls were printed, but before they were issued, the registration officer detected the mistake, and telegraphed to the Colonial Secretary’s office. Mr. G. S. Cooper, Under Colonial Secretary, replied in effect that the names might be erased. This happened before the certified copy was sent to the Colonial Secretary's office or the rolls were issued. An addendum was made to the Ashley roll, but not a single one of the thirty-one persons wrongly included in the Kaiapoi roll claimed to vote nt any of the booths. Further, the returning officer, we learn, was prepared to have allowed anyone who claimed to vote to do so. The majority of them, however, did, as a matter of fact, vote in the Ashley district. Therefore, no one was disfranchised by this peculiar blunder. The Election Act requires the returning officer to sign the corrected rolls, on which the election is held. Supposing the thirty-one had voted, and given all their votes in favor of the Ministerial candidate, Mr. Bowen's majority was sufficiently large to give' him then fifty votes over his opponent."