MAORI ELECTION PETITION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 90, 12 May 1909, Page 2

MAORI ELECTION PETITION

| By Telegraph.—Press Association. Hamilton, Last Night. ■"Mr. (iraco, continuing, said the election was conducted as' open .voting. There was no .secret ballot or box lor votes. Uc admittvd the Act wan ot strictly carried out. One deputy signed a tremendous lot of papers, but never put the name of a candidate in. Witness rejected the whole lot. A voter could vote at'one place and then at another without detection. No roll existed, ■Several deputies 'and Maori associates gave evidence detailing the methods of voting, which, with thy exception of one booth, was that a native, after answering the usual questions') said whom hu wished to vote for. The leputy wrote the name, then signed the pa-per, and the associate controlled iv. No Maori asked for a voting paper and never handled them. At Waitetuna, the voting was conducted on an open road, as the deputy could not get a <boothJ In other instances, the poll was taken at places other than those notified. Kketone's evidence went to show Unit

a large number of natives, especially in the Taranaki district, never knew'the election was to be held. Kahiti was' only went to home natives when he i stumped the country i'or the purpose of addressing them, and the natives didn't know what he eamu for. At one polling booth several Maoris were in together, with 20 hanging round tlio door. Ho considered that voting papers should have been given the nailvvs prior to the election, as it would have acted as a cheek and prevented double voting. No evidence was called on-behalf of respondent. Mr. Karl addressing the Court, laid stress on the notices not being posted up by the Returning Officer, also that as electors vot'eil before the paper was signed by the Returning Officer, exceptnig at one liooth, the election was invalid. llu also contended that no voting paper was a qualification, and is the same was not signed lirst. tlie elec<>rs voted before qualified lo do ;o, thus invalidating the vole. tionV" Sti '! n )0,) " r iai '' * h( ' eas'e was adjourned till the mom.