HAWKE'S BAY ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 221, 25 February 1915, Page 5

HAWKE'S BAY ELECTION.

HEARING THE PETITION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Napier, Last Night. .A conference during the midday adjournment resulted in the list of declaration votes being reduced by twelve. Considerable legal argument was heard in regard to the votes of persons who it was contended were not entitled to vote. Air Skerrett contended that the CourfMiad power to strike oil' a vote as illegal if tie mime of the u:Kr had been fraudulently placed on the roll or without jurisdiction or colour of authority. The Chief Justice said that if the roll was conclusive there could be no inquiry into such cases. Sir John Findlay submitted that the Legislature did not treat the roll as conclusive. The Court was entitlel to disallow tlio vote* of 'persons illegally on the roll.

With regard to a number of {Maori voles, Mr Skerrett said it was clear these should not be allowed, whilst Sir John Findlay contended that if the roll v>as conclusive in other cases of persons illegally on the roll, it must be so in regard to Maoris. Mr Skerrett objected to fifty-three votes of members of the expeditionary force, on the ground that the name of the electoral district was not filled in, and five other votes on the ground that the wrong district was given. The Court ruled that the direction of the envelope of the fifty-three votes waf sufficient. Decision was reserved in regard to the other five votes. Sir Robert Siout said the question regarding those illegally on the roll \va = the most important point, and the Court would have to consider it care fully.