THE TAUMARUNI SEAT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 12, 14 May 1915, Page 4

THE TAUMARUNI SEAT.

MR W. T. JENNINGS LOSES H!S SEAT. Pee Peess Association. Auckland, May 14. The Court held that Mr W. T. Jennings did not reside in the Tauraarunni Electorate according to the provisions of the Act, but in New Plymouth. He was not, therefore, qualified to he on the Tauraarunui Roll as an elector. The Court was compelled to uphold the contention that Mr Jennings was not, at that date of the election, qualified to he 'a member of th.e House of Representatives. Discussing the electoral irregularities. the Court remarked that at Main' rakau the principle of the secret ballot was disregarded, and it could not help thinking there had been what was commonly called “roll stuffing,” accounting for the presence on the roll of a considerable number of Maoris, non-residents, aliens and infants, who were not likely to have taken steps to enrol on their own initiative. The Court did not think it necessary tj order a scrutiny, having decided the petition on the basis of the candidate’s electoral qualification. It therefore declared the election void, each party to pay its own costs except the Full Court costs which were fixed at twenty guineas, and respondent ordered to pay. The Court refused to grant an indemnity to John Burns Young, on the ground that his evidence was untrustworthy and unbelieveable.

(Apart from political fooling, there wit! be very general regret in Taranaki that Mr Jennings, who has done x line service for the province in the past, should lose his seat-on a technical point. If Mr Jennings registers in the electorate in which he is residing, lie will, however, be properly qualified to stand again for any seat in the Dominion, so will, in all probability, again contest the Taumaruuui electorate.)