FIRST RESULTS FROM POLISH VOTERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5307, 21 January 1947, Page 5

FIRST RESULTS FROM POLISH VOTERS

(press Aatf —

GOVERNMENT'S LEAD fader moves to have elections annulled

Rec. 9.30 p.m.)

LONDON, Jan. 20. The first provisional results of ihe Polish «eneral elections jjased on Government figures 0 far available s>ive the Govemment bloe some 80,000 voles against 15,000 for the peasant Party, led by M. Mikolajczvk. 4. L.0rrfS|)"i;tkMit of the Exchange eje(;raphV Xcws Agencv says that anl t\v«» dI her journalists were skt'il ti> leavi- a polling booth in ,a]l.!nv u ! in prepprations were iiiailt* tu iiegin the eounting of ievutcs H>' a.vs that that was des;te a.sta:iiK*t*s given only two days r0 that fwi'eign correspondents oulil te all'-weil to witness the mnt. . _ M. Milaiia.Vxyk has announced that 1 .vill .lei'ia.iu that the Polish elecDiis iif aua ili'i! oii the grounds that ev uerc r fii'c and unfettered, as quiieil f.y ' in* Big Three. M. Mikolajf/yk said: "In spite of Ihe irri'iiularities I helieve iry party Kvould obtain a majority if observBrs coulcl be present to assure l'aii - liess in the eounting." ■M. Mik'iia.i ■ 'yk added that hp had fciieii a ih'V. i "lc to the British and ■nierii'iui Fu'i-a-sics detailing his ■arges. ■ Al! :.ir>s. »•> f"t)in Warsaw agree ■at the !"•!!'''• v\as heavy hitt, in the ■ain. it wa- or-.Ieiiy. ■foi'respi'iaii'iits ilu liot agree about ■e jieeivey iir .,j iu'i'wise of the ballot. leiuerV War-aw eorrespondeut said ■at at'ter vi-iiii ;.r polling stations in Ino'im jiari- u' Warsaw he could af■m that ' :r- ;n t-:al process of eastl votes appeared to be proeeeding lcretiy tuni iVeely The authorities lil !i»: jUDvi't.' ■•iirtained nooths, but ptei's Uiwiiii-'ii • heir ballot papers al- 1 laJy !'i'hii'«! and placed them in en■Injjts prov i iei I. It was impossible lreliYt"ral "ffieers to see for whoni Be V.ites ::a«i ■ 'vii east. I DillYreniv of Opinion ■ Tii,. A-m. .a'-.i Press' correspondBt -ays the halloting was ■ngularly laekitnr in secreey. Governlent iiloe uiaanisers throughout lohmi h.'UU'ii'ii up voters and led Bem to the O 'ils in groups. Voters Bere -ai-i ti> ve heen told that the IteHian'w- r.i eoting far the Governi'loe -.a.uiulat es were the loss of Bapkna'Dt »■)• iiupt -isonment. B.fe; v. >•(■!■- ..-airieii, plainly visible, ■ pke ii." pape! mai ked No. 3 — the ■raihr u-e«i to v o ' t ■ for the Govern■ert Moe. Tii.- l'oies elipped their ■lfflheis froii! new-papers or secured Beai fiiuit tii.' pai ty organisers. ■ Eleetiim otl'i.-iais held an open enfc'pe rea :y hi i-aeh voter to drop in ■s immliei'i d slip. Some Poles folded ■e slips. !i-i; iu most eases the offi■als weie a'lic see the nuntbers. ■ffii-iais |iivv.ei •■! voters from sealK the etiVeh'i'i-s. I Sn.res of i'oles said that they ftould iiot \oti- for their convietions. Bt UUS eillifi \ ot e for the Governfceiit hlor or !o-e everything. ■ The Ihithii i'oiu-d Press' eorres■indeii: -a.- : ;-iti ;lu* average Polish Bter iiiiii a ".0 :.o . lianee of voting ■oetly. ih- fioaai two booths with Kreeued pa ; i i i . . amoi g the 20 he ■>iteil ir, U ai-au . Many voters ■'Wi awa;, the olfk'ials and ■lidily s!i:.j„.,, i.allot paper into ■e eiH'eliipes.