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New Zealand Mail, Issue 657, 26 September 1884, Page 20

We are sure that the Resident Magistrate acted wisely in fining Mr Pharazyn £IOO for having illegally voted at the Foxton election in July last. The defendant’s account of the matter was that he voted on the occasion for the purpose of proving his right to do so. Such a statement implies that a doubt had been raised on the point, and that defendant was aware that such was the case. That is putting the matter in the most favourable light for Mr Pharazyn. There can be no question that he had heard it discussed over and over again, read about it in the papers, and talked a good deal about it himself. If he really thought that he had the right to vote and wished to do so, he should under the peculiar circumstances have taken professional advice as to his true position. He would then have ascertained that his former conviction carried with it the loss of the franchise. He preferred to test the question by voting, and we hope he is now satisfied. Before the election he could have had an opinion for a guinea, or perhaps less. The opinion he got from the bench cost him £IOO. But we are sorry to say that Mr Pharazyn’s conduct in the matter looks very much like impudence. He is an intelligent man, and must, we are afraid, be held to have known that he had no right to vote. Perhaps he thought that he could set the law at defiance, for that the magistrate would hesitate to inflict a substantial penalty on a gentleman holding such a prominent position. It is all settled now beyond doubt. Mr Pharazyn knows that he must not vote, and he knows further that if he breaks the law he will have to write a handsome cheque in payment for the luxury. We have been almost tempted to express regret that his friends did not urge him strongly to keep clear of polling booths during the period of his disability. But we have no right to assume that he was not so advised. He probably was, but being as obstinate as a mule determined to have his own way.