THE WALLACE ELECTION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 108, 5 March 1870, Page 6

THE WALLACE ELECTION.

(To the Editor of the Tuapeka Times.) Sir, — A letter appears in your issue of the 29th ult. stating (1) that " Mr. J. C. Brown was likely to wrench the refused information from the Returning Officer." (2) That " the Colonial Secretary had instructed the returning Officer to furnish Mr. Brown with the list of votes," (3> That "although Mr. Brown had asked for the information three months ago, the Returning Officer had not favoured himwith any reply." All these statements are untrue\ Sdfar from "instructing the Returning. Officer to furnish the information," the Colonial Secretary expressly states that there is no legal authority for permitting it — it is entirely at the discretion of the Returning officer. As, therefore, Mr, Brown gave no sufficient reason for hisrequest, after a somewhat lengthy correspondence on the subject, 1 "favoured' him with a reply," declining to grant it. Mr. Brown writes on January 31st, 1870 r " I do not (as you would infer) found my' request for the return upon the different statements you so kindly supplied to me" — apparently forgetting his letter of September 29th, 1869, in which he writes :—: — " Saving received tioo telegrams from yon, — one stating that myself and Mr. Webster had polled equal votes, and the otherplacing that gentleman six ahead, — I should be glad if you would allow Mr. A. Kinross to look over the voting papers." So long, therefore, as the application was based upon such utterly trivial grounds as an error in a hurried telegram (despatched merely as a matter of private courtesy), which was corrected within an hour, I deemed it unadvisable to accede to it. But the case has assumed a new aspect. Mr. Brown now asks for the information to form a case for an election petition against Mr. Webster's return, and as this is a definite reason for the request, I have granted it, and supplied him with the list of votes. Mr. Brown alleges, as his grounds of petition, misconduct on the part of the Deputy Meturning Officer at the Lower Mataura. Although such a charge is palpably absurd and improbable, I have made a full enquiry, and find that not the slightest foundation exists. I have therefore called upon Mr. Brown peremptorily either to substantiate his charge or else immediately to withdraw it. — I am, &c, Charles Rous Marten, Returning Officer. Martendale, Southland, Feb. 21, 1870..