TE AROHA ELECTION PETITION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2887, 15 January 1891, Page 2

TE AROHA ELECTION PETITION.

A Ga/.ettk has been issued naming Chief Justice IVendergrast and Justice Connolly as thet.vo Judges to hear the petition lodged liy Colonel Fraser against the re' turn of Mr Allen for To Aroha. The petition of Willi un Fraaor, of Thames, against the validity of the election of Mr \V. S. Allen as a member of the House of Representatives, has been lodged with the Chief Lfustice, and a copy was produced in the course of the proceedings in the Judges' Chambers at thn Supremo Court to day. The petitioner clai-ns to have had the right to be returned at the above election on the following grounds : That at the time of the nomination of the candidates for the Te Aroha electorate, William Shepherd Alien was 111 Great Britain, and although n .reunited {<>- the election did not, as required bv Section 5, of " The Electoral Acts Amen Iment Act. 1890," signify hi.-, consent to such nomination to the Returning Ollioer, either hy letter senL by po-r, or a liked to the noinin cion paper, or by an ordinary message by telegraph ; that although the said W. S. Allen had -eru; ineers acting for him at the eh-etion. he did nut, hy wniimr under Ins hand, appoint the scrutineer-,' for e-ich or any ballot box used 111 the booth, in teims of the 23rd Seeiinn of " The R-vula-tion of lilecii'ins Aet, ltJSl.'' The pe'iti >n further aliegis that an agent and commit-tee-man for the said W. .S. Allen, in and about the sai.l election, and who in furtherance and support thereof was duly employed and appointed on behalf of the said W. S. Allen to aet 111 that capacity to pro-ni-'te and secure his election, paid the sum of ,tl each to two min-'rs in order to indium them to vote for W- Alien ; and that further inducements were given iu the form of guarantees to pay expenses ; it is further alleged that a canvasser and ag.:nt received £-1 a week to promote t!io return of W. S. Allen; wherefore (he petitioner prays tli.-t it may be declared that the said William Shepherd Allen was not duly elected or returned, that the said election was void, and that the petitioner was rluiy elected and ought to be returned.

In Chambers thU morning Mr Heslcetli moved for .'in order to tho effect that what hiicl been d"n" in thi< m itter should I a considered Piiilieient sen ieo i>n t-lip resnnri. dent. An i.nler u-ji* !'cci>rdim;!.v crautod, a copy iif tho ij;>Llli■ in i<i bi- senod unoti tho respondent. pris t- t-n fnrtlvr proceeding*.