Testimonies

Ramell, John Pettet | Day 4

Witness Type: Briber

Party: Liberal

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 5

Witness Testimony:

• 3993.

  (The Witness.) Before I give my evidence I should like to be allowed to make an explanation. In the local paper there is a statement that my account amounted to 287L. I do not wish to make the explanation only for my own sake, but for others, and also for the paper ; I think an explanation ought to be made. My account was only 208L. Then also there is another sum of 5L. that I received put down as 50L. (Mr. Jeune.) You are put down as having received 287L. ; it is true, is it not ? — No.

• 3994.

  I will ask you presently what you did receive ; I think it was 280L. ? — No, 208L.

• 3995.

  Is your complaint that they have put you down as receiving 287L., whereas in fact it was 208L. ? — Yes.

• 3996.

  We will rectify that presently by your evidence ; you shall have a chance of telling it to us all straight. What are you ? — A grocer.

• 3997.

  You took an active part in the election; you interested yourself in this election ? — Yes.

• 3998.

  I may as well take you at once to the sum you received ; what was the sum you received altogether from Mr. Edwards ? — 208L.

• 3999.

  Where did you have it, and how did you have it ? — The first amount I had, I think, was 110L., that was upon the Thursday, the first Thursday after Sir Julian came down ; and the next amount I had was, I think, 65L. ; and the next amount was the balance.

• 4000.

  Was it in each case paid in sovereigns ? — In gold.

• 4001.

  When do you say you got the balance that made up the 208L. ? — I think I had pretty well all in the week. I am not quite positive as to the last amount, whether it was in two lots or one.

• 4002.

  What were you told by Mr. Edwards to do ; what were your duties at this election ? — Mr. Cornwall, Mr. Edwards, and myself had a consultation upon the morning after Sir Julian came down in the evening, at the ” Star and Garter Hotel,” and there were perhaps 250 boatmen outside to know what they were to do. Of course Sir Julian was late in the field, and we talked over what it was best to do ; and I suggested, I think, that we should go in for flags and poles, and drape the house in blue ; we chatted it over, and we thought that would be the best thing, and Mr. Edwards asked me if I would undertake to carry it out, and I said, “Yes.” Mr. Edwards told me to go to different parties in the town and order the things, and he would give me the money. I went and told the boatmen what they had got to go, and whether they wanted the FLAGpoles up, and they said, that was what they were asking for, and they gave me a list of what they wanted. I told them I would go and order the poles and the rope, or rather I told them where to get it. I went to Mr. Bristow’s, and looked out the poles, and I went to Mr. Finnis, and gave him instructions to let the boatmen have a certain amount of rope, what they required for putting up the poles, and each boatman was to take a paper to him with instructions from me.

• 4003.

  Now I will ask you about these accounts. Here is Mr. Ralph ; I do not think you ordered the rope from him ? — No.

• 4004.

  You paid for putting up the 118L. ? — I have got the receipts for all; they were handed to Mr. Edwards once, and he returned them to me in case I might want them. I think you will find a receipt for everything. These are all the receipts (handing a bundle of papers to the Commissioners).

• 4005.

  You say I shall find here receipts which will make up the 118L. for putting up the FLAGpoles ? — Yes.

• 4006.

  How many FLAGpoles were put up ; do you remember ? — Mr. Bristow can tell you that ; not all, because I had some from other places. . I sent in all the accounts to Mr. Edwards, and I have only the receipts.

• 4007.

  Do you remember about how much you got for putting up each pole ? — 30s. a pole, with the exception of one and that is a large one.

• 4008.

  That is a separate item of 25L, ? — Yes.

• 4009.

  I suppose you put up about 60 or 70 poles ? — Quite that.

• 4010.

  80 perhaps ? — Yes ; in fact there were several poles I put up that I paid for out of my own pocket.

• 4011.

  You put up one way or another getting on for 100 poles ? — Yes, nearly 100 poles.

• 4012.

  In Deal and Walmer ? — No, I had nothing to do with Walmer. Gladstone Road I had to do with, but that is in Deal district

• 4013.

  Good gracious! you must have crowded the place with poles, did you not ? — Oh, no.

• 4014.

  It is not a very big place ; did the other side put up 100 poles too ? — I should think they did.

• 4015.

  There must have been a perfect forest of poles, I should think ? — Yes, in fact we drew people from all parts of the country to come and see it.

• 4016.

  The big pole was upon the Prince of Wales’s Terrace ? — Yes.

• 4017.

  That was 25L. ? — Yes.

• 4018.

  I should like to ask you whether you think only a fair price was paid, or do you think that a little bit was put on, considering it was election time ? — No, I do not think so ; you must remember these boatmen all had to stay at home to put them up, and if they had been at their own occupation they might have earned double or treble the money ; in fact I met one the other day who said he had only got 5s., and lost a pilot.

• 4019.

  How long did it take you to put this pole up on the Prince of Wales’s terrace ? — Three days ; there were 30 men employed, and not any too many. I have a drawing of the pole here (producing the same)

• 4020.

  I see you mast-headed all your illustrious leaders ? — Yes.

• 4021.

  In fact you put up every Liberal leader on every one of these masts ? — Yes, it is the Liberal cabinet.

• 4022.

  It was designed and carried out by you ? — No.