THE WAITOTARA PETITION.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 6925, 3 December 1887, Page 5

THE WAITOTARA PETITION.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION T-XEGSAJ-.] WANGANUI, December 2. On'tfae Brycc-Hutehison election case . bJng resumed this morning the mvestigaSn of bribery charges were continued ff iacnlai* being that it was ahefred Sat Mardoch McLean was paid ±1 for Senses incurred la attending to record Murdoch McLean, sworn, said he lived iasan elector of tbe Wa.totara district. He voted at the recent election at Waver_r Prior to the election he received Sm respondent the document produced. £w_s part of {that letter which merely Sked for support. and Ins v-ntber saw respondent a week after the Sections, and had.a conversation with him Stheresultof'theelection. Asked him Kmenioney to pay expenses mcurred in tov-KromEltnamto Waverley to vote, gave witness a sovereign, and 82Sireefed, "Will pay you this back « d_v" as though It was borrowed Sy K replied-» That is all riehtJ' Respondent invited witness to gSf, -fto-fat the hotel Had not been _-fc«i to renay the money. Would have g£_o* bf&d been asked, but did not Expect to be called upon to repay the B Cro-s-examined-The lnterview with respondent took place prior to the declara__ni of the poll, though he made no .rrangementas to payment of travelling Senses prior to the day of polling. In, tended to support therespondent s candidaSttein any -ase. Did not say to respondent _T.he day of the declaration of the poll _»I am hard up; can you lend mc a uound. you know I'll repay you. Respondent had lent witness money on previous occasions. Understood the sovereign obtained from respondent was for thepur-_a_as_ffl-KaK__r-f-i SLon and Jacobs at the Clarendon Hotel, Waverley. Might have said that he exnetted to be witness for petitioner in this J__eTTold them that his expenses would be paid if he gave evidence. ToW Mason _n_Jacobs that Cameron and Davidson had been to his place about the case. _-ld them that lifty or a hundred pounds would not stand in the way of obtaining of his evidence. Did not say that £50. or £100 would be paid him if he would swear' - Sat be had been bribed by respondent, tot-might have said that he would be well aid to swear that. Told Mason that he kd borrowed this pound, and that fools I roe now trying to make something «* of it. Had also told Walter Symes tig same story as he told Mason and Jacob. Muldrock, respondent s manager, j etUed at witness' house subsequent to the kjt Incident and told him that he came from Davidson; that he had been to see him; that Cameron had remarked that it, was reported respondent had givea witness apound. Herepiied to Cameron, "What if I did borrow a pound from respondent; bo is my man of business, and I have borrowed money from him before. Told Muldrock that he always paid his debts, aad would pay the pound back ifcalled on to do so, but did not expect he would be called upom Did not tell Muldrock he expected to get fifty or a hundred pounds tor his evidence, but told hnn he expected to be well paid for giving evidence for the petitioner. At the interview with Walter Symes, J.P., told him exactly what took place in the interview with respondent respecting the pound, and oil-red to make a declaration as to the truth of what he then said to Symes. At the interview with Macdonald, he said in reply to a question, that the Bryce party bad hold of a cock and bull story about a pound. Was Wm. Gwynne last Sunday. Would not swear that he did not say -"I have got a good thing on. Will give evidence for which ever aide pays mc most money.' Harrison was at this stage recalled by v&l- Bell, and in answer to questions said *•* ■_■ when in Wanganni before the elec- _-_ he saw Mr Hutchison about getting wS«_e polk Told him that there were a v-»&bet who would come down, bat they could not afford to lose their time. Told him unless there were some means of bringing them down they would not come. -Wanewould make arrangements to get them down. Mr Hutchison did not say anything about Mr Ballance. HarryThbmas Mann, shearer, Waverley, stated that he had attested some signatures to claims for votes. In rep'y to a question, he stated that he had said in a chaffing way that he got half-a-crown for every vote obtained for respondent. There had been a dispute between Lloyd and Smith, a bushman, and respondent, as to 8 claim for bush falling. This claim had been settled in favor of respondent. Witness went. to these men to get them to sign claims to vote, and they spoke about the old claim against respondent. Witness replied that it was not respondent, but the fault of respondent's manager, and he had better see Mason, who was election agent for respondent. Spoke to Mason on the subject, but the latter said he could do nothing in the matter. Received no payment for getting names on the roll. Wm. Smith, mentioned by last witness as having a claim against respondent, remembered last witness coming to him to get him to sign a claim to vote. Mann told witness he had made five shillings by getting two forms signed. Mann asked witness if his vote would be all right if the old claim against respondent were settled, witness replied that the vote would be right Mann said he would see Mason, and subsequently cold witness that it was all right. Saw Mason on the election day, and tho latter told him not to poll votes until he had scon respondent. Later in the day he was taken to the hotel by respondent, who said he did not think witness and his mate had been fairly treated in the matter of bush falling. Told respondent he felt sure he and ' ' his mate would not vote for him unless

be received compensation for the old claim. Respondent said—" Tell your mate that I say Mason is to see the matter rectified." Was perfectly satisfied, and then recorded the vote. Saw Mason afterwards, and arranged to refer the old claim to arbitration, but nothing had since come of the matter. The dispute had previously been referred to arbitratrotion, the award bad been made, the money paid according to the decision. Gross-examined—At the interview with respondent on polling day respondent, •After hearing witness* statement as to the old claim, said he could promise nothing bt tho matter without referring to his manager, but was anxious to do what was right, aud witness and his mate had better send in a claim to Mason if they thought the manager was not inclined to treat them fairly. Mason was a prominent supporter of respondent. A. Clement, formerly mate of last witness, gave corroborative evidence. •John Lloyd, another mate, gave evidence to particulars of the bush falling contract, and the nature of the dispute with reIPondent's manager: also, in reference to aUnn's interview with the party ia the «ash. Mason told witness that matters *i would be referred to arbitration, but never expected anything to. come of it, a* it had been determined by arbitration previously. The agreement with Mason ad not affect his vote. Waa promised nothing. x .Mr Mann, recalled by Mr Travers, said be had never told Smith that the dispute would be right if he voted for respondent, *-d never had any authority from respon«at to make such a promise. w Wm. Thurston, fanner, acted as *witrator in an- old dispute between 3-iith and Lloyd and respondents. The -'' JW after the election Smith, one of jhe claimants, waited on witness with reft**!*-} to the second arbitration, but nothing came of the matter. OrossH-taniiued—Witaessgot possession « a fragment of a letter from Bright. *«-ae him no promise forit. Was making fi °nie arrangements to take over the prol*rty. Understood that respondent gave _-**» the property on polling day. The section was in the township of Waverley. ««hoi_, and value about from £15 to -£17. flight told witness he had a paper and a "8»t to purchase at the end of two years ; M £18. Did not believe he had the right u> P'irc_u»>*e. Sent the paper down here « Mr Fit-herbert. It was not aitotrick to get hold of the paper. £*je~8» volunteer in Mr Bryce's interest, "".nght had a purchasing clause, was JUiuig to pay for it. Knew he bad tho «ttoment, and wanted it, but also wanted the section. Did not offer Bright *«».-w the land or the document* Never nientioned money when he saw *-*»_-:_, Found ont that he had a paper trom the respondent, and thinking that it of use to Mr Bryce's interests, |«hold of it. It waa a

_*_•?***• «om-u_-ion agent, n *mteon*-S ,S w d ,*4 not sW- *£ c , Wal , tol ? ra *°" -nd ™«- a to a __ b a f- t £ a £ he had nofc taken persons sis_JrtS__ h ?** ore or •** obtaining sSj?. to <- M " s * *» TOte. Acted ai WaS£ 8 «mmittee at RemernS.'--^ Syms -was ch-innan. Hote. red *** *»• lu -ch at Jacob's °°™_ n - tion Thirty or Ste, from Patea lu-ch-idf at *&* or flTe «-"<W in his tWhn-ff d ***. Bcore against hrm at the th-f was IOTl OT obtained darin* HAd H° g * ffcer *** °« <* c P- Oll--rt-f b ? respondent noTto ran op any drink score ch-ring the day, n_m^^ y<!ash - Had not received aify th! iw? m aDJone in connection with D-__«t^ t n? n '« u, Paid - 11 travelling exIWB own pocket. Occirpied Onf^^*^ 6 -w* stocked. wnt__ i, afc ?Jwent.on the farm was given Muldrock, respondent'slnahager, about two months ago. He had the cow on trial, and was to buy it if it suited ¥ m ' or <»ald return the anlmaL Besponaenc sent him a letter with instructions for use on polling day. McLean told Syms and witness that Davidson and Charles Cameron had waited on him about cue -pound received from the respondent. "lien they questioned him he asked them wnat business it was of theirs whether _ c K°t a pound from respondent. When ae . asked McLean what there was in it he said he had borrowed £1 from respondent on the day of the declaration of the poll. He told them that he had an offer of £50 to £100 if he would say that he received this money as a bribe. He said he had told Cameron and Davidson if they had come on that lay they had come to .the wrong shop. Witness could not be certain as to the time at which McLean said he .borrowed the money, butunderstooditwas after the declaration of the poll. Suggested to him next day that he should make a declaration, and he promised to come into town next day and sign a declaration, but fie did not come. Witness knew Smith and Lloyd, and had some conversation with them on the day of the polling. Smith came to him about some grievance on bush matters, and asked him to see respondent about it. Smith afterwards said he had seen respondent, and that he i would have the matter in his hands before the day of the poll. Understood it had ; i never been settled by arbitration. Thought respondent had simply palmed off the men 1 on him to get them to vote. Witness said | to Lloyd— T ' It appears to mc you have a grievance, and it has been left to mc. I will get Mr Syms to look into it, with mc, but I make no promise, and this has nothing to do with the election." They arranged to go into the matter the next Saturday after the poll. Understood that they were to inquire into the matter, and if there had been any good reason for complaint they would recommend respondent to make compensation. Wrote to respondent about the matter, but had heard no more about it. Made Smith and Lloyd no special or further promise. Spent no money whatever during the hours of polling. In j the evening shouted for all hands, friends and foes alike were all free, and had no authority from respondent to expend any money for this purpose, or assisting to secure his return, and spent no money by his authority. Mr Bell re-examined witness, hut merely to show agency, and upon Mr Travels admitting Mason's agency for ail lawful purposes, the examination of witness was closed. Thos. Ellis, called next, said he was landlord of the Commercial Hotel, Waverley. There was some -drinking on the polling day and some shouting. Could not remember whether Mason was in the house on nomination day. He was in on polling day, and had a drink by himself in the morning. His name appeared on witness's books for £7 4s Gd from January sth to the present date. On polling day there was booked 10s 6d, bnt it could hot appear as drinks; it had not been had. It went on the slate because Mr Mason had no money in his pocket-