CAPTAIN RUSSELL'S COMPLAINT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5777, 22 January 1897, Page 4

CAPTAIN RUSSELL'S COMPLAINT.

[Per Press Association. I WELLINGTON, Jan. 21. At a " social" to the Hon T. W. Hislop, ' Captain Russell was present. He referred to the statement attributed to him at Rangatea. He said that he was not so foolish as to say that any registrar of electors had told him he (the Registrar) had put on men in order to canvass against himself. What he did say, and wliat he repeated, was that he found in his own electorate there were certain persons canvassing the electorate against himself. He was told that these men were receiving Government pay for their work, and he went to the Registrar of Electors and asked him if there were certain persons receiving Government pay going round the country canvassing voters. The Registrar said "No; they are not going round the country canvassing voters, but going round to £et names on the electoral rolls." He asked for the names of these persons, and was told the names of three known to everybody in his own district as three of his most vigilant and active political opponents. He asked the Registrar, "" Are these men paid ?" and the Registrar replied that they were paid by instructions signed " Hugh Pollen, Under-Secretary," at the rate of 15s per day for horsemen and 8s per day for others. He had since been charged with gross inaccuracy for saying that the men received 15s per day. He ought to have said 8s per day and 7s extra for riding their own horses. As a matter of fact, he understood that there were also other persons employed.