PENALTIES RELINQUISHED BY INFORMER.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13426, 25 March 1914, Page 5

PENALTIES RELINQUISHED BY INFORMER.

(Received March 24, 11.55 p.m.) London, March 24. Sir Stuart' Samuel paid the costs of all the informers. Bird, having vindicated his claim, agrees to forego the penalties. Sir- Stuart Samuel, Liberal member for Whitechapel, was unseated by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in April, 1912, for having voted in the House of Commons while a partner in the firm of Samuel Montagu and Company, which had contracts for the supply of silver to the India Office. The question was first raised in the House of Commons in November, and was referred to a Select Committee, who, finding it impossible to reach unanimity, referred t the questions of law for consideration *by the Judicial Committee.

In the by-election which followed, Sir Stuart Samuel recovered the seat by a smaller majority. The Government subsequently introduced a Bill to indemnify Sir Stuart Samuel.against the penalties he had incurred during the period of his disqualification. A suit brought against him by a common informer last year failed.

Last month the King's Bench granted William Bird, a common informer, £13,000 and costs, against Sir < Stuart Samuel, the amount representing the aggregate penalties ho had incurred by voting in the House of Commons during lus disqualification. Mr. Justice Rowlatt, "under a statute of the year 1801, awarded £500 for each of 26 votes, but granted a stay of execution. Plaintiff pointed out that an indemnity Bill was proposed, and asked that the money be paid into Court. The application was refused.