A PECULIAR COUNTY ELECTION

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 226, 10 January 1885, Page 3

A PECULIAR COUNTY ELECTION

Some peculiar circumstances have been communicated to me in connection with the elections for a Northern County Council. It seems that many of the electors were dissatisfied with the conduct of the election, and drew _up a petition praying for an inquiry into its validity. The inquiry revealed — to put it mildly — some very peculiar practices on the part of certain members of the late Council who desired re-election from motives best known to themselves. The roll paper bearing the official signature had been cast aside and another drawn out by a clerk, omitting the names of the electors who were not considered "sound on the goose," and on the smallest pretext, while the names of several Maoris who had not paid rates, and therefore were not electors, were placed on the roll. The omnipotent Council even made a by-law extending the time for payment of rates by natives to a date later than that of the election, so that there could be ou dispute at the poll. At the same time -Europeans were notified that if the rates were not paid within fourteen days before the late of the poll they would forfeit their votes It was well known that the European portion of the community was opposed to the truck system and all other illegal actions of the late Council, says my informant. The R.M., however, declared the late election null and void.