LICENSING ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11747, 23 November 1903, Page 6

LICENSING ELECTIONS.

TAMPERING WITH BALLOT PAPEBS. RKT. F. ISirr AND POLICB COAIMISSIOXER. (srECUL TO "THE rBESS."} WELLINGTON", November 21. The a toil/ Petitions Committee to-day reported on the petition of the Rev. Mr loitt for nn enquiry into the abstraction of ballot papere in Wellington. The report states that the committee, having taken evidence from witnesses, finds that Mr IsiU, at 8.53 a.m. on the morning of the day of the Licensing Committee election, and prior bo the opening of tlie polling booths, was illegally in- possession of a stolen ballot paper; that the committee examined Mr leitt, but, though he allege* that the paper was given him, he at different periods absolutely declined to give the committee tl>e name of the person from -whom he received it; that the committee ia of opinion that the" paper was stolen for the purpoee of manipulating the reeult of the election, and thus defeating the will of the electors; that about December 29th Mr leitt wrote to eleven returning officers in the colony requesting them to supply bun with copies of tlie ballot paper* u*ed in their respective districts »% the local option poll; that Mr I«tt admits having received three iuch papers, but nt the enquiry Jie positively declined to give the committee the name of any returning officers who had thus illegally supplied him with' the same. The committee is of the opinion that the papers could have been need ac a ground for upsetting tlie local option poll in some electorates, but the limited time at the disposal of the committee makes it impossible to fully investigate at tlue lute period of the session the serious import of the issues involved in the prayer of the petition. The committee, therefore, recommends that the petition be referred to the Government for consideration, ana requests the Government to further Investigate the irregularities. • Mr Fowlds said the report disclosed a remarkable poeitkm. He read Mr Isitts evidence before the committee, which showed that, Hμ ballot paper had been given to Mx leitt on the.morning of the licensing election. Mr Isitt refused to disclose tlw name of the man -who gave him the paper. Hβ considered bimsrif m honour bound to do this, as he had made a, solemn promise not to divul&e the name of the man, who was an honest and trust--worthy person whom ho had known for thirty years. Thie man was afraid, if his name were disclosed, that his business would be utterly ruined by political end trade influence. Mr Fowlds eaid the evidence given before the committee was not sufficient to justify the character of the report of the committee, which, however, •would not alter the mind of a single individual throughout. ttiS country in rtgard to the character of Mr leitt-.

Mr Taylor characterised the report <v t ridiculous one. The mere fact that Mr imtt had commwii<teted with the police showed that hie action was not that of a thief or of a receiver of otolen propertyIt tree a disgrace to the members of-the committee to use the language they had used against a man of such character ac Mr Isitt. With some members oi th« committee, however, character did not weigh at all. Mr Taylor read the report of the Commissioner of Police, which, lie said, fthowed an undue bias against Mr Isit*. Mr Taylor claimed that Mr Isitt had rendered th"c people of the colony a signal service. The report confirmed his opinion that of all the erratic, incapable, and impracticable tribunals that ever existed for the sifting of evidence, a Parliamentary committee wae the worst.

Mr McGowctn moved that the report and evidence be printed. He defended the action of the committee, and stated that no man could defend the conduct of Mr Isitt in regard to the ballot paper in question. He condemned Mr Isitt for having wnuen to eleven returning officers after the rolls were closed, asking for ballot pajiers. Mr Ell pointed out that Mr, Isitt himself wae toe instigator of tliia inquiry by petition to Parliament.

Mr Wilford deprecated making a martyr of Mr Isitt by prosecuting him for having 'a vtoko ballot paper in his poeeeasion, He wondered how many ballot papers Mr Isitt really had. The lesson taught him would be valuable to Mr Isitt for the rest of hie life. .

Mr T. Mackenzie deprecated discussion, and moved the adjournment of the debate. This was seconded by Mr Bedford, but was lost by 33 to 30. .

(Mr Taylor tiiea pointedrout that .the report of the Commissioner of Police had been mutilated since it had been laid the rtabVe in the .Committee room.. A certain portion of Mr Dinnie's remarlw had" been cut 6ut, and it was.now a mutilated docii-

itteat. ■ ■.:,:■■.'■:. .:■ :,<-, ■■:' .: '■ Mr Seddon said it might have/been an official expression of opinion that was cut out ' ■■■ ■■ ■ :■• ' ■':.• ■■. •. . ■ >. :

Mr R. McKenzie said the portion referred to had > been left oat on the resolution ot the Committee, because it was too severe oa Mr Jaitt. ■ • ■ • .-.•;. .

: Mr A. L. D. Fraaer then put on record the text of the petition and of Mr Dmnte's report; ■. ■■ ■ . • : , • ' _ : The fallowing it the portiaa excised by the Petitions Committee .—"lt will be obaenred, however, that the facilities offered to evil-disposed persona to obtain poes** won of ballot papers previous to an election are many. It i> just possible to obtain some from the person* concerned in' the printing department where tlje ballot papers em printed. I am fcatiafled they are accessible whilst in the possession of the retnniing officer previous to being sent out, and thoaa retained could, no doubt, bo tampered with if anyone desired to do m>. It is evident that during transit to the various booths, and whilst deposited there during the afternoon, evening and night previous to the election, the faciUtie* offered to abstract ballot papers are manifest, the keys being attached to the boxes, and the necessary care is not exercised in securely locking the booth up during the night. In a serious contest like the present these are all matters -worthy of consideration. It is evident,' however, that whoever it was that first obtained or stole this ballot paper, it mast have been eomeone deeply interested in the result of the poll, or someone acting at their instigation, and it certainly ooes. seem strange that Mr Lsitt, who, it cannot be denied, was a most interested party, ehonld be in possession, of this ballot paper at the. time herebefore indicated. His action on gaining possession of this, to him, important document was most reprehensible and unaccountable. Delighted at the. idea of having gained possession of what he be : lieved to bo a tramp card in. upsetting (if necessary) the election, he rnehee oS and has it endorsed, apparently then knowing it was it genuine one. Not satisfied with that h« getii it photographed, after which he goes to Mr Thomson, the returning officer and the police, pretending to give information, but withholding the very particulars upon which any inquiry coald be baeed, and even declining to part with the oallot paper, which, under the ctrennv stanoee, should, and no doubt could, have been obtained from him either surreptitiously or otherwise, and did not hand it over to Mr Thomson until a week or so after the election. The only conclusion that one can arrive at Iβ that Mr Isitfc was apparently the sol* cum* of this ballot paper, which is undoubtedly genuine, being obtained to farther his own ends and that of hi* party, but owing to the facilities afforded to maliciously disposed persons when .sending out ballot papers previous to eWrrticn, he or his agents are apparently the wily persone who can elucidate the matter." ' , :

The Chairman of the Comiftitte« (Mr Srmes) eaid the portion. «xci*ed fross Jfr ifilmie'* report Ira* before th© Conunitt**

in the shape of a State document, and it wai decided that it waenot in the interest* of justice to hare thje made public until the police had time to investigate. At 3.10 >Ir J. Allen moved " the previous qnertion," witi a view of bringing the debate to a cloje.

A division rewltcd id a tie, 31 voting on each eide, and the Speaker gave bis catting vote against the continuance of the debate.

A motion that the report of, tiie Committ** lie on tlw table and be referred to the Government for coumderatinn, and that the report with the evidence be printed, was then agreed to.