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APPENDIX. The Petition. To the Honorable the Members of the House of Representatives, in Parliament assembled, The humble Petition of George Bentham Morris, of Tauranga, in the Province of Auckland, New Zealand, an elector of the electoral district called the East Coast District, in the Province of Auckland, New Zealand, on behalf of himself and others claiming and having a right to vote for a Member to serve in the ensuing Parliament for the Electoral District of East Coast, Showeth, — 1. That an election of a member to serve in the ensuing House of Bepresentatives, for the Electoral District of East Coast, took place at Tauranga and elsewhere within the said electoral district, on the sixth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six. 2. That such election became necessary by reason of the term for which the late sitting member was elected having expired by effluxion of time. 3. That at the time of such election your petitioner was, and has since continued to be, and still is, an elector of and voter for the said district, and, as such, had a right to vote, and did vote, for a member to serve in the General Assembly of the said colony at such election aforesaid. 4. That at such election there were four candidates—namely, George Edward Read, Georgo Bentham Morris, William Kelly, and Wi Maihi te Rangi Kaheke. 5. That at' such election a poll was legally demanded, granted, and proceeded with, and that, at the close thereof, the numbers of votes recorded for the several candidates were declared to be as follow: — George Edward Bead ... ... ... ... ... ... 215 George Bentham Morris ... ... ... ... .., ... 206 William Kelly ... ... ... ... ... ... 185 Wi Maihi te Bangikaheke ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 And that thereupon the said George Edward Read was declared by the Beturning Officer for the said district to be elected, and was accordingly duly returned as a member to sit in the next ensuing Parliament for the said district. 6. That at such election the said George Edward Read, by his agents, friends, and managers, and by persons employed on his behalf, before, at, and during the time of the said election, was guilty of open and extensive bribery and undue influence in order to procure persons having, or claiming to have, a right to vote at such election to vote for the said George Edward Read at the said election, and to forbear to vote for either of the said other candidates, and in order to procure the said George Edward Read to be returned to serve in the ensuing Parliament for the said district. 7. That the said George Edward Read, by his agents, managers, and by persons employed in his behalf, before and at and during the tine of such election, was guilty of various corrupt acts, and employed undue influence and other illegal and improper means, and caused to be given divers sums of money, and gave and entered into, caused to be made, given, and entered into, divers gifts, rewards, agreements, and engagements, to several persons having and claiming to have a right to vote at such election, in order to procure them to vote at such election for the said George Edward Read, and to forbear to vote for either of the said other candidates, and in order to procure the said George Edward Read to be returned to serve in the ensuing Parliament for the said district. 8. That the said George Edward Read, by his agents and managers, and by persons employed in his behalf, before, since, and after such election was so had and come to as aforesaid —to wit, on the sixth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six —and, in pursuance of corrupt agreements entered into before, at, and during such election, caused to be paid divers sums of money to each of many persons, such persons being voters, to give their votes at such election in favour of the said George Edward Read; and that, amongst such persons so paid as aforesaid, were those whose names are hereunder written, who received the sums of money set opposite and against their names respectively : —

And your said petitioner avows that the said sums of money so paid were given in pursuance of a corrupt agreement made before, at, and during such election with the several voters to whom they were respectively paid as aforesaid, and were given corruptly and illegally for and in consideration that the several persons, being such voters, should give their votes, and would vote, in favour of the said George Edward Bead at such election, aud for and in no other respect whatsoever.

Name. Address. Occupation. Amount. 'e Mete _kuhata Tupaea 'e Harawira ... .noka te Whanake lori Ngatai ... \ Johnson ... | I Opounui, Tauranga... Eangiwaea „ Opureora „ Whareroa ,, Whareroa „ Wairoa „ Farmer Government Official and Parmer ... Government Official and Parmer ... Government Official and Parmer ... Government Official and Parmer ... Farmer £ 5 5 5 2 7 20 s. d 0 C 0 c 0 c 0 c 0 c 0 c