BAY OF ISLANDS SEAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 November 1938, Page 5

BAY OF ISLANDS SEAT

POSSIBILITY OF ELECTION PETITION. VOTING BY MINORS ALLEGED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 22. The presentation of a petition to have the Bay of Islands election brought before the Election Court is being considered by a number of constituents. It is expected that definite action will be taken within the next tew days. The grounds for the petition are stated to be that Maoris were wrongly included on the roll and that there were cases of minors voting. The result of the election was declared by the returning officer, Mr E. G. Tyler, on October 27, the voting being: C. W. Boswell (Labour) 4556, H. F. Guy (National) 4393. It is stated that the petitioners are not seeking to have the election declared void but that they submit that if the challenged votes are disallowed their number may be sufficient to vary the result. Any petition to have the election reviewed by the Election Court must be made to the returning Officer within 28 days of the declaration of the result. Security by bond or by cash amounting to £2OO has to be given within three days of the filing of the petition which, with the bond or security, is forwarded by the returning officer to the Registrar of the Supreme Court in Wellington. It is required that the petition shall allege specific grounds on which a complaint is founded and no other grounds than those stated shall be inquired into. The Election Court consists of two Supreme Court judges and a trial takes place within the district in respect of which the position has arisen. The Court has power at any time during the trial to direct a recount or scrutiny of votes given at the election to which the petition refers. It shall disallow the vote of every person found guilty of any corrupt or illegal practice or whose name has been illegally placed or retained on the roll.