Late Licensing Contests.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4730, 5 March 1884, Page 2

Late Licensing Contests.

PETITION TO UPSET THE AUCK-

LAND ELECTIONS.

Auckland, Yesterday.

At five minutes to four o'clock to-day, the last day of appeal at the Magistrate's Court, an objection against the validity of the licensing elections in City East, North, and South, Ponsonby, and Karangahape Wards was lodged. No objection is made to the election in Grafton Ward, though on " all fours " with the elections for other Wards, as in that Ward the Licensed Victuallers ticket was carried. The petitions are not signed by any hotelkeepers, but. by other ratepayers. The objections, though not made ostensibly in the Licensed Victuallers' interest, are, it is well known, intended to compass that object. The following are the grounds of objection put forth in the petition filed :— 1. That notice of time aud place of said election and situation of polling booths was not given within the time and in the manner required by "The Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876." 2 That the poll at the said elections was open beyond the hours required by the said Act. 3. That intimidation was used at the said elections to such a degree as to prevent electors polling thereat. 4. That names of candidates were omitted from and names of^persons not candidates were entered upon the polling papers at said election. 5. That (1) voting papers made and obtained otherwise than as provided by the said Act were put into the ballot boxes at the said/election; and (2) that voting papers were taken out of the ballot boxes at the said elections otherwise than as provided by the said Act, thereby affecting the result of the said elections. 6- That the Returning Officer for the said district was not able to fulfil the duties of his office as such Returning Officer at the said elections, and he did not appoint any substitute to attend the said elections for him. 7. That the said elections were held and conducted from the commencement of the voting to the closing of the same without there being present any Re- f turning Officer or his substitute.—Mr Theo. Cooper (of Devore and Cooper) has been retained by the Temperance party for the defence.