THAT FINE OF £500 PER VOTE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2016, 25 March 1914, Page 7

THAT FINE OF £500 PER VOTE

* . CASE OF SIR STUART SAMUEL, ■M.P. By Telegraph—Press AsEociation-rCopyilßht London, March 23. Tho wholo of the.litigation in which Sir Stuart Samuel, M.P., was concerned has been settled. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed. (Rec. March 24, 11.55 p.m.) London, March 24. Sir Stuart Samuel has paid all tho costs. i_ ' . . Mr. Bird, having vindicated his claim, agrees to forego tho penalties.

'A man named Bird, 'suing ias "a common .informer," churned .£13,000 and costs against Sir Stuart Samuel, that amount lepresonting the aggregate penalties incurred by Sir Stuart Samuel, M.V., for voting in the House of Commons while his firm was contracting for the supply of silver to the Inclia Office. Mr. Justice Eowlatt, under a statute of tho year 1801, awarded ,£SOO for each of tho twenty-six votes, but granted a stay of execution pending an appeal. Sir Stuart Samuel is a member of the firm of Samuel, Montagu, and Co., bankors. Some months ago tho firm made largo purchases of silver for the Indian Government, deriving tho usual proht. It is explained that the Secretary of State had reason to beliove that some speculation for a rise in silver was in progress, and therefore thought it well to make tho purchases as secretly as possible, and to employ a firm that had not hitherto acted in this connection for the Inclia Office. There are only four firms acting as silver brokers on a large scale, two of which had previously be-en employed,, and Messrs. Samuel,' Montagu B ?r c f\, were consi <lere(l tho more suitf b i° o °f $ e otoerj™ o - The , . English Statute 22 George 111, cap. 45, which is apparently the ground upon which the privato individual referred to established Jus claim to proceed against tho member tor Whitechapel, provides that any person (not being an incorporated company) under contract, or who enters into any contract for, on account of, the Public bervice, is disqualified from being elected to or sitting in Parliament; and (Clause 9) any such person sitting or voting tn. Parliament shall forfeit the sum of ifioOO for every day on which ho shall sit or.vote (in tho House) to any person, who shall sue for tho same in any of His Majesty's Courts at Westminster, and the money so forfeited shall bo-re-covered by the person or persons so suing, with full costs of such in'any oi the said Court. Under the New Zealand Legislature Act, 1908, a member of Parliament who so contracts is disqualified, and liable to a. penalty of .£SO for every' day whereon he sits and votes knowing himself to bo disqualified. Any por=on can sue in any Conrt of competent -jurisdiction.. Sir Stuart Samuel resigned his seat in the House when he became involved in tho affair, but was re-elected