THE WAITOTARA ELECTION PETITION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 8336, 25 November 1887, Page 2

THE WAITOTARA ELECTION PETITION.

[By Tei.egbai'li.J [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WANGANUI, Nov. 24. The following appears in the Herald: — Mr Hutchison has now been served with full details of the offences he is charged with by Air Bryce in connection with the Waitotara election. We give below the gist of each charge, clear of legal phraseology;— Persons alleged to have been bribed: (1) Alurdo APLean (Elthain), Jll9, Oct. 3, tor expenses incurred in attending to record his vote; \2) J. W. Watson (Kerioi), station hand, £l, alleged to have been paid on August 13, for expenses to be incurred in attending to vote. (3) A promise alleged to have been made by Air Ballance, as agent for Air Hutchison, to certain voters engaged on survey and road work in the Maungakaretu block', that said voters would be allowed reasonable time to go to polling-places in which they might have qualifications to record their votes, without losing their pay on the survey party, and that one day’s pay would be allowed from the time of their leaving work to the time of their returning. This promise is alleged to have been conveyed to the men by A. D. Wilson and G. Harrison, officers in charge of the respective parties; and Mr Bryce further says that the voters named below were paid by the Minister for the time they were absent from work; —G. Harrison, J. P. Sweeney, W. Potts, A. H. Alurray, A. J. Thornburn, C. E. Thornburn, W*. J. Jones, and J. Reid. (4) (a) That Mr Hutchison, on or about Sept. 21, promised Robert Bright, labourer, Waverley, who had been previously dismissed by him as a farm servant, that he should be reinstated in his service; (h) further, that Air Hutchison promised to let the said Bright a certain section in the town of Waverley. This promise, it is alleged, was made on Sept. 25. (5) A promise alleged to have been made to Reuben Baldwin, Patea, that Air Hutchison would endeavour to procure his reinstatement as custodian of the Patea Hospital. (G) A promise is alleged to have been made to John Edward Lloyd and William Smith, Waverley, bushmen, by an alleged agent (Henry Thomas Main) about July 7, and on August 13 by Air Hutchison, and his agents 11. P. Mason and H. Aluldrock on or about Sept. 2G, that a certain claim by Lloyd and Smith against him for bush-falling which had been previously settled should be re-opened for their benefit. (7) It is alleged that Muldrock, as Air Hutchison’s agent, delivered one cow to H. F. Alason about Sept. 9. (8) A promise is said to have been made by Mr Hutchison to William Ross, of Kerioi, to obtain him employment as clerk on the execution by Air Hutchison on Sept. 15 of a guarantee in favour of E. L. G. Jacob, hotelkeeper, Waverley, to secure advance to Jacob of .£240 (This, we may explain, was registered in the “ Alercantile Gazette ” as an ordinary transaction of bill of sale.) Treating on polling day (1) by A. B. Pyement to the following electors at (Maxwelltown), J. and R. Lee, F. Robinson, H. P. Alills, J. Riordan, junr., P. Hester, and C. W. Hawkens. (2) By B. D. Hogg, at Turakina, to Charles Cameron, A. Simpson, G. Franklyn, F. Howies, R. J. Knox, F. J. Knox, W. Birch, B. P. Lethbridge, I). Alorton (electors), and Angus Cameron, J. A. Cameron, and John Alorgan (non electors). (Mr Hogg seems to have “shouted” for the whole Bryce section in token of victory.) (3) and (4) are general charges of treating at Waverley and Upokongaro, especially of road hands at the latter booth, but no names are given. Treating on other days than polling days —(1) By Air Hutchison at Waverley on July 2 and Sept. 24. (2) By Air Hutchison at Patea on July 5 and Sept. 23. (3) By Air Hutchison at Upokongaro, the names of those treated being Captain Alontgomery, A- Alontgomery, junr., W. D. Anderson, and J. Piersey. (4) By Mr Hutchison at Waitotara on or about August 3. (5) By Mr Hutchison, J. M. Hogg and A. 0. P. Kermont at Alaxwelltown, about July 9, to J. Morrison and J. Riordan, jnn., and by Air Hutchison at Maxwell on Sept. 22. (0) 1 By Air Hutchisou at Turakina on August 29 and Sept. 10. (7) By Messrs Hutchison and Piercy, at Kerioi, on or about August 13, (8) By Air Hutchison, at Waverley, after certain Committee meetings, to J. C. A. Lee, H. Bartz, J. Alorton, L. J. Jones, and V. Ellis. (9) By H. P. Mason, as agent at Waverley, on August 9 to J. and R. Leo, (10) By Air Hutchison and his agent, after divers Committee meetings. (11) By J. D. S. Hogg on Sept. 24 or 25, on which occasion D. Collins was treated. (12) By E. L. E. Jacobs, as agent for Mr Hutchison, of a supply of meat and drink and provisions gratis, on Sept. 21, to G. Piercy and Chas. Lomaz, and persons engaged as agents, A. JL iPyemont (Waitotara), H. T. Mann (Waverley), H. F. Mason (Waverley, William Ross (Kerioi), and B. Hogg (Wanganui), and persons employed to convey votes to and from the poll, A. Smith, and E. Nixon (in his employ), William Whelan, Thomas Glover, Fred Williams, J. S. Smiley (Wanganui), and C. Dempsey (Waverley). The names of various persona alleged to have been conveyed are also given. Persons provided with moneys for illegal purposes Walter Smyth (Waverloy), Hugh Alulbrock (Waverley), .D! AI. Harris (Patea), P. D. Hop.g (Wanganui), J. AI. Hogg (Wanganui), A. R. Pyemont (Waitotara). and F. Mason (Waverley), A. R. Hogg (Wanganui), William Ross (Kerioi). Prohibited persons who were induced to vo t e ; _T. Armitage, K, G. Gowland, Keps Baldwin, T. Sherwood, and T, H. Leaver, of Patea. The following are said to have been disqualified from voting by reason of being paid scrutineers : —G. H, Gabion and A. J. Barlow, and 111 persons. The following names are alleged to have been written by Owen Atackineck as agent for Air Hutchison to claim to vote without written authority ; Francis Sherwood and John Plowerday. The following name is alleged to have been similarly written by John Black as agentT. H. Leaver. These comprise the whole of the charges, and Mr Hutchison assures us that so far at any rate as the charges against himself personally are concerned, they can all be satisfactorily answered.