I mean, that's just the way the ballot is ordered, so I don't see how you could discern intent from that.
I am just saying how it was done back then.
If you want to ask someone about it, ask Earl. I am pretty sure he was one who counted the vote I am remembering as then Secretary of Forum Affairs (predecessor to SoFE).
The person forgot to mark numbers and it was counted in the order that they listed them. Now they didn't copy the ballot, they listed the candidates themselves on a blank post (again with no numbers) so that is one clear difference.
Hmm, I don't remember doing that. But that was a long time ago, and memory fades me.