THE ELECTORAL LAW.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5737, 4 November 1905, Page 5

THE ELECTORAL LAW.

PROSECUTIONS AT AUCKLAND. PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, November 3. A young man named Walter Brayne pleaded not guilty in the Police Court to a charge of having knowingly made a false statement on a claim for enrolment as an elector of Auckland West.

Mr Reed, -who appeared for defendant, informed tfio Magistrate that there no dispute shout the facts, but his client, who came to the colonyeight months ago, signed an enrolmentform, under the impression that six months’ residence was sufficient. Brayne had been careless; but could not be hold to have acted wilfully. Defendant gave evidence that he voluntarily gave information to the registrar when he found out his mistake. "Walter Georgo Smith gave evidence that he got Brayne to sign a form believing that the residence qualification was six months. The Magistrate remarked that ho would accept Brayno’s statement that he did not wilfully make a false declaration; and would dismiss the information. Kate Skinner pleaded guilty to having signed her name as a witness to two signatures of electors without seeing the persons write their names, and without hearing the declaration that they were writing their ordinary signatures. Defendant admitted that she saw a person fill in and sign two forms with the names of two different persons. She signed the forms while canvassing for Sir Masefield. She was not paid by the latter, and did not know that she had don© wrong. Mr Kettle at first imposed a fine of £5, but reduced the penalty to £1 when the prosecuting registrar (Mr Ralfe) explained that the defendant was in poor circumstances. “One half the people won’t vote, and the other half won’t put themselves on the roll,” declared the defendant, who expressed the opinion that it was very hard for her to be fined when she bad got nothing. “It shows the necessity for leaving people alone,” replied the Magistrate. ‘Tf they don’t want to be enrolled let them stay off. If I had my way, there would bo no canvassing for votes.”