OHINEMURI LICENSING POLL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3127, 2 March 1909, Page 5

OHINEMURI LICENSING POLL.

PETITION DISMISSED. By Telegraph —Press Association. WAIHI, March 1. The special court gave its decision in reference to the petition to invalidate the Ohinemuri Licensing Poll. The court, consisting of Messrs Bui'gess and Cutten, and Colonel ' Roberts, S.M., after reviewing the evidence did not think the irregularities proved showed that the poll was not conducted substantially in accordance with the provisions of the law, nor did they think the result was affected thereby. The petition would be disimissed with costs £IOB. The court held that the principle to be applied was clearly whether there had been such great and universal neglect that it could be said that the secrecy of the ballot had been entirely disregarded. The evidence adduced did not justify them in coming to such a conclusion. Constable Dnscoll had said it in endeavouring to assist those to find empty compartments that he looked behind the screens, and in so doing saw the ballot paper, and it was suggested by petitioners that persons looking for compartments in which to vote would have the same opportunity us Driscoil to see how others vcted. There was no evidence, however, of any person in the booth at any time throughout the day for the purpose of voting having seen how any other voter was marking his paper.