37

1.—2.

Affidavit of Mr. Dtjgleattx. I, Lotus Pieeee Dugleaux, of Gisborne, in the District of Poverty Bay, in the Province of Auckland, baker, make oath and say, — 1. That, in or about the month of January last past, I was present and did hear one Thomas J. Henshaw, in conversation with one Albert Montague Crapp, of Gisborne, lemonade manufacturer, utter and say words to the following effect —namely, that he (Henshaw) had sent a bill in to Captain Bead's committee, claiming the sum of £80 or thereabouts for expenses connected with and incidental to certain services which ho (Henshaw) alleged had been rendered by him in Eead's interest relative to the late election of a member for the East Coast; and that if Captain Eead's committee failed to pay the amount of money demanded by him, that he (Henshaw) would show Eead up, as plenty of documentary evidence could be forthcoming and produced by him, and then in his possession, to prove not only that he had been employed by Eead, but also held his written authority to do certain things which, if made known to Morris's party, would prove very detrimental to Captain Eead's political interests. Further, that I am acquainted with the said Thomas J. Henshaw, and remember about the period such said conversation took place that he was then and some time subsequently addicted to drinking in excess, and obtained credit from various people in this town for liquor supplied and money borrowed on the strength of his assertions that Captain Eead's committee would be obliged to pay up handsomely, as demanded by him, on account of services of a questionable nature alleged by him to have been rendered on Eead's account in connection with such late election. L. P. DUGLEAUX. Sworn by the said Louis Pierre Dugleaux, at Gisborne aforesaid, this third day of August, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, before me — Ande. Geaham, A Justice of the Peace for the Colony of New Zealand. I, the undersigned, William Kerr Nesbitt, hereby certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, Louis Pierre Dugleaux, the party making the above written affidavit, is a person well known in this town, and in all respects worthy of full credit and belief. W. K. Nesbitt, Eesident Magistrate. Affidavit of Betubning OfficEß. I, Feancis Edwaed Hamlin, Beturning Officer for the Electoral District of the East Coast, do make oath and say that, at an election which took place on the sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, for the return of a member to serve in the House of Assembly for the Colony of New Zealand, the total numbers of votes to each candidate were as follows: — G. E. Eead ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 215 G. B. Morris ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 206 W.Kelly ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 186 Wiremu Maihi ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 F. E. Hamlin, Beturning Officer, East Coast District. Sworn before me, at Maketu, this eighth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six. E. M. Edgcumbe, J.P. Ceetificate of Costs. In Parliament.—ln the matter of the Petition of Geoege Bentham Mobeis against Geoege Edwaed Bead, of the Electoral District of the East Coast. Wheeeas a Committee of the House of Eepresentatives was appointed to consider and investigate the charges and allegations in the said petition contained: And whereas the said Committee, having duly investigated the said charges, and considered the evidence produced in support thereof, has declared the said charges to be proved, and that the said George Edward Eead shall be declared not duly elected for the said district, and that the said George Bentham Morris shall be declared duly elected to sit in Parliament for the said district: Now this is to certify that the said Committee has awarded the sum of £150 to be paid by the respondent (George Edward Eead) to the petitioner (George Bentham Morris), as costs of the said petition; and the said Committee, by virtue of the powers in that behalf vested in them by law, hereby require and command the respondent to pay to the petitioner the sum of £150. Herein fail not. Given under my hand at Wellington, this twenty-fourth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six. W. S. Mooehouse, Chairman of Committee. I hereby certify that I have examined and compared this copy with the original certificate, and that the same is a true copy thereof. Dated this 24th day of August, 1876. Jno. Peecv, Clerk to Committee. By Authority : Geobqe Didsbuet, Government Printer, Wellington. —1876. Price Is. 6d.]