LOCAL OPTION POLL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8036, 24 January 1906, Page 2

LOCAL OPTION POLL.

KXQULKY AT IXYKIiCAUGILL. pkk niiiss association. IxvKiH'.ui(iiLi,, .limitary 23. At the enquiry into Hie Inverriirgill Local Option Poll to-day, tlie silting was occupied almost cntiivly with an opening address by .Mr Hosting, U-atl-iug counsel for I lie petitioners against tlic validity of the poll. Tin- principal point raised by him was that certain votes allowcil in (he recount were informal, as far as Ihev related to any particular proposal, hut that being legally votes recorded liv voters they should be counted into the total number of votes recorded, lie also raised the point that absent voters, except seamen, were not en. titled to record their voles on tl„. licensing is-ue,

Counsel relied mainly on the decision of Dr McArlhur in the Sen ion 11 Home evidence was taken. Ascruli»<vr stated thai the Hepnty-Krluriiiiig Olli.'er had refused |,i„, v..|iug-p ipers. Some peculiar manipulation of papers disclosed thai one voter had turned his paper over and marked his erasures over the lines on the other side.

Another wrote " for colony" in additiou to the erasure. One very deaf man was refused voting pipciY, though lie was on the roll and able to read written questions if put to him. The enquiry is likely to lasl three or four clays.