AN ELECTION PETITION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10721, 9 February 1897, Page 3

AN ELECTION PETITION.

THE WELLINGTON SUBURBS SEAT,

(Per United Press Association.)

Wellixgton, February 8. ■ ■ The hearing of the petition against the election o! Mr T. M. Wilford for Wellington Suburbs was begun, this morning, before the Chief Justice and Justice Conolly. Mes3rsM. Chapman and Morison appeared for tha petitioners and Messrs Skerrettand Levi for Mr Wilford. Most of the morning was taken up with the opening of the case. Mr Chapman explained that the grounds relied on wero bribery by money payments and promises to obtain employment for electors, and thatMr Wilford had registered on the electoral toll in respect to a non-residential qualification only. He proceeded to detail the names of persons whom it jnas alleged.had been bribed, and with.respect jo the other grounds relied on said that Mr Wilford appeared to be registered upon, a freehold qualification, while nince the act of 1896 no such ' qualification existed. Counsel steted^hat petitioners would produce a letter in Mr Wilford's handwriting asking the Premier to ' give a. post to one Malvaner This letter, however, had never reached the Premier.

George Lindsay said that he was joint secretary of Mr Wilford's Mitcheltown committee. He denied absolutely that ha had ever received any money from Wilford, but before the election he had received £3 6s to pay sundry debts owing by Mr Wilferd to others. Several persons had claims for services at the previous election which they stated were not settled, and witness told Mr Wilford he had better,giro him the money to pay them. He got a cheque aud paid one Biddle, a scrutineer, llg; paid 7s 6d for rent of the hall, and was to pay the owaer of the hall back rents, bat not finding her returned the'rest of the money to Mr Wilford. One Spring claimed a guinea as a messenger, but the committee h&d only passed 10s, and witness refused *° Sl™ i-im anything at all as he would not take 10s. Tar Cbapman proceeded to examine the witness us to:hU feelings towards Mr Wilford and Mr Jikerrett objected unless Mr Chapman* recemd.permission, to treat him as a hostile witness. He was then informed that iE he answered, truthfully he would be indemnified jgainst any criminal proceedings, but he denied mat-.he. had said it was no use Me Wilford loming to Mitcheltown unless he squared up for ihe last election, or that he had promised anyihmg to Braddock and Spring. , In cross-examination Lindsay said he had not received any money from Mr AYilford for his services at the 1896 election. He did not bring the books of the 1893 election. They were destroyed, in a fire at his house. Biddle was voted 10a by the committee for the loss of .work and Spring 10s for his services on the following day. : . • . ■ b

William Spring, a Frenoh polisher, residing at BJitcheltown, wag next called. At'the 1893 election he was outside scrutineer for Mr Wilford. At^tbe last meeting of the committee pnor to .the. election Lindsay had stated that there was & guinea eaoh offered for two ecratineeri, and, m witness knew everybody at Mitcheltown, he had better take the ontside of the booths. Sinca that election and until about within three months of the recent election ne had had several conversations with Lindsay - Mr Skerrett objected to this line of examination being proceeded with, contending that it could not be said that Lindsay was Mr Wilford s ageat at this time, and furthermore that if it was meant to contradict Lindsay's evidence tho other side had not laid the proper foundation for this.

Their Honors ruled that the evidence was admissible.

Witness continued: He understood Mr Wiiford had not paid his expense* for the lasfc election. On the 7th Ootober, 1896, at witsiess's house, Lindsay said, referring to the same thing, I» e got this " (holding out 10s) " Bidwell has got his; I have his receipt, and I want yours. Witness would not accept the money and said, "I am not going to take an interest in the election on Mr Wilford'g behalf, and don t think it right to take his money " He also said that Mr Wilford did not owe him half a sovereign—if he owed him anything ifc was a guinea. Lindsay said, " Don't bite your nose off to spite your facs ; if you don't keep it I wjll. And afterwards he said, "I suppose you wiU go on for Wilford " By Mr Skerrett- In 1893 witness worked hard for Mr- Wilford and was a pronounced snpporter of the present Government. He did not take information to the committee room of the pollers who voted at the booth. He did not ask to be paid for his day's work in 1893; .md he had no recollection of Biddle asking for payment. He was offered a guinea by Lindsay in the presence of the committee. When half a sovereign was offered to him afterwards he looked on it as a bribe. He did not consider it had anything to do with the guinea. In answer to further questions -witness said he went on Mr Hißlop's committee four or five weeks before the election, but did not tell Mr Hislop about the conversation with Lindsay. Charles Spring, son of the lasfc witness, said he remembered Lindsay offering his father half a sovereign and saying he had seen Mr Wilford, who said he would equate np the money owing at the previous ejection. He produced a notebook showing he had paid Biddle 10s. Lindsay said he would keep the money himself if Snrino did not takeit. to

By Mr Sberrett: The money was offered as part payment of services as scrutineer. -inr^r J jphtnden Said he was secretary of Mr Hilforda Newtown committee He was not paid or promised anything for his services. He did not tell Lingard he w a3 setting £2 a week Blulvaney came to him for an introduction to the iremier, and witness, cob knowing the l eml er J and bein S anxious to help Mulvaney, 1 wno cad lost one hand, took him to Mr Wil- ! ford, who said he would oblige Mulvauey by giving him a letter of introduction to the ; Premier, to whom he conld tell his own tele. ■ No*l.?# "?" s*id abont thf> election by witness or Wilfotck*«lj day Mulvaney said to him I that Mr Wilford was a funny fellow, as he ! didn t even ask whom he wag goi Dg to vole for. Witness detailed how he had been accused by Mr Hislop at a political meeting of beiu X a paid • canvasser, and how he had denied it in vigor, ous language. Mr Wilford had never held out I to him, nor had any friend of the candidate I held out a prospect of a clerkship or a messem- i gers billet in the Government ssrviee. j