DUMMY VOTING PAPERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15822, 20 January 1915, Page 8

DUMMY VOTING PAPERS.

DISTRIBUTOR FIXED

[BY TELEGRAPH OWN* CORRESPONDENT ] Whaxcarei, Tuesday. The distribution of dummy voting papers in connection with the recent election led to the appearance before Mr. E. Page, S.M., at Whangarei to-day of Jas. Jackson on a charge of distributing, on December 9, the day before the general election, imitation ballot papers, having matter thereon which would be 'lflcelv to influence any voter.

Sergeant Moore said that the papers were left in Constable Paino's garden. On the constable making inquiries, the defendant told him tfrat a temperance advocate had left him a lot of papers for distribution. He distributed a certain number of them without being informed of their contents. He then went away for some time, and on his return he distributed the remainder. There were four kinds of papers; the # imitation ballot paper was in the middle of them. He heard that Constable Paine was making inquiries, and therefore went to see him. He showed that officer a bundle that had not been distributed, and the ballot paper was in the centre. That was the first he knew of its presence. Sergeant. Moore admitted that the constitution of the bundle was as stated, but the clerk of the Court £aJ d that' the papers that were thrown into his garden were all loose. Defendant was fined £2 and 7s costs. ~ J ~