HOW ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED IN ENGLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3241, 9 December 1880, Page 3

HOW ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED IN ENGLAND.

Judging from the extraordinary disclosures made in the official inquiries iuto elections of Oxford, Sandwich, Kuarcsborough, Boston, Canterbury, Chester, aud Gloucester, it is quite evident that neither the Ballot Act nor the statutes passed with the view of checking Parliamentary corruption have had any sensible effect in correcting the evils against which they wero directed. Noie somo of the evidence given in tbe Sandwich inquiry for instance. One witness haa stated that he does not believe there is an honest elector in Deal, nnd certainly from evidence given by the witneases already examined, and the fact that there are marly four hundred more who have received money for bribery, he would uot appear to be very far from the truth. Nearly, if not all, the publicans seem to have been "squared." • Mr W. K. Miuter, of the Drum, at Walmer, said he had received £129 for voters, and had paid £21 to Sandwich boys for carrying boards. Edward Rea said he had paid £81 to 27 voters. W. H. Hayman paid £3 each to 29 voters. Henry Marsh had paid £160 to 41 voters. J. Chittenden, carpenter, had paid £15 to voters, and had spent £12 on expenses iv treating himself and others. ;(Laughter.) Valentino Myhill, a Cinque Port Trinity pilot, received £15, which he paid to voter/*. He was asked to bo one of the committee of the regatta. It did not come off, through bad weather. The committee got £22 from Mr Hughes. They still held that i'money "in trust." (Laughter.) MrJenne: ' Well, mind you take care of the money you hold "in trust." (Laughter.) William Budhcll, clerk of the works to Mr Homony, of Walmer, had received £96, which he distributed among 32 voters. T. H. Finnis, landlord of the Fox Inn, Deal, had received £43 from Mr Cornwall, and had paid £3 each to 10 voters for their votes. H6 spent £5 in treating; £11 he had detained : and iif ho was paid for his trouble he would give it up, if not he would stick to it. (Laughtor.) Thirty shilliugs a day would scarcely pay him for his trouble. Mr Jeune: Ido not like to say I hope you may get it, because that might appear ironical. (Laughter.) Tbe President: You valuo your services at £600 a year. (Laughter.) [Witness: And very little too. (Laughter.) The President: Did you ever make that income ? Witness : No; but I should like to. (Laughter.) Mr Benjamin Wood, a farmer, of Middle Deal, said that he had received £80 from Mr Olds—that be spent in direct bribery, .Laughter.) He divided the money among twenty-seven votera. Mr James Wise had received £45 for voters from Mr Olds. Mr Turner: What are you? Witness: Well, I live retired. Mr Turner: What were you? Witnesß : Well, I can scarcely tell you what I have been ia my lifetime. (Laughter.) I have been a fly proprietor, a carrier, a bathing-machine proprietor, and lots of other things. (Laughter.) W. B. Mackey, a pilot, said that he had received £42 from Mr Olds, which ho had given to voters for their votes. When the petition was on they wanted to servo him, but he went to sea to get out of it. (Laughter.) Mr Jeune: You were "all in the Downs," also, I suppose? (Laughter.) Witness : That's it. (Laughter.) G. Redmond, the landlord of the True Briton, and a voter of Deal, was paid for watching poles. They were in front of his houae, and bo just looked at them a little bit. (Laughter). The President: You saw them in the : evening, and again when you got up in the morniug?" (Laughter.) Witness: Just so, sir. (Laughter.) J. Phelps had distriI buted £38 among voters. One had taken money on both sides. Mr Jenne : I see that he is described ns "a sweep." (Laughter.) J. B. Milliu, a pilot, expended £30 in bribery. He gave one voter £10 because he could not get him under. (Laughter.) Prices rose as the election drew to a close. (Laughter.) A large amount of similar testimony was given, showing wholesale corruption.