Mauku Election Petition.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 360, 15 March 1918, Page 2

Mauku Election Petition.

| To thb Editor] Sir,—Mr J. Henry has shifted his ground in his latest contribution on thif subject. He now wishes to know why one side should be allowed to profit by breaking the law, whilst the other side loses by conforming to it. The assumption is that my side had been voting on behalf of soldiers at the front, whilst Mr Henry's side had refrained from doing so. Unfortunately for Mr Henry he has already written to prove that only one soldier's vote had proved irregular. The fact that this vote happened to be cast for me is surely very small grounds for speaking of " sides" in the matter. Then Mr Henry wishes us to believe he has relatives and friends at the front whose property was not represented at the poll. May I ask, why? Mr Henry must know that the trustee, or auyonlfaffrt having three votes in his own rrgut, holding a power of attorney for an absent soldier, has an absolute right to voti for that soldier's property he has his name on the roll. In the\ one case of an irregular vote cast for a soldier as disclosed in the recent court proceedings Mr Halliday voted for his son at the front. The vote was irregular because the son's name, and not the father's name, was on the roll. If Mr Halliday's own name had been on the roll as attorney for his son, he would have had an absolute right to vote for his son's property. Mr Henry accuses me of clothing the facts with sentiment, but this I must deny. When electioneering I everywhere referred to the deplor- i able state of the roads as a reason for a change of member. The soldiers' vote question I was content ■ to leave to the electors They have given their decision and like Mr Henry " I am content to leave it at that."—l am, etc., J. 8. MONTGOMERIE.