Testimonies

Testimonies

• 1005.

  Did you hear of any specific instance in which any attempt was made by anybody on the other side to get at any of your voters ? — Yes, I think it must hare been mentioned in the committee room. I am not in a position, as I tell you, to mention names or anything of that kind. It was simply a general statement.

• 1006.

  You cannot give us any names ? — I cannot give you any names.

• 1007.

  (Mr. Holl.) You cannot give the name of any person intended to be watched ? — No, possibly Mr. Coleman can do so.

• 1008.

  Or any person who gave you any information as to that being necessary ? — That was admitted generally; when we met in committee, and so on, it was then agreed. I should think there were six or more there when it was resolved that these watchers should be appointed simply to take care and protect our own voters. There was no secrecy about it.

• 1009.

  You cannot give the name of any person from whom you received any information which led you to think it necessary ? — It was stated in the committee room, but I cannot recollect by whom. I cannot recollect the name at all.

• 1010.

  You cannot name any person ? — No,

• 1011.

  Have you the list showing who, among the canvassers, were voters or non-voters ? — It was a list of the messengers. There were 26 messengers.

• 1012.

  (Mr. Turner.) At Sandwich ? — Yes.

• 1013.

  (Mr. Holl.) You are not speaking of the boys ? — No, those are not boys. Of the 26 messengers, you desired to know how many were voters, and how many were not. There were nine voters and 17 non— voters. That list is a copy of the one you have (handing the same to the Commissioners),

• 1014.

  I see this does not include the clerks ? — No.

• 1015.

  They were voters ? — They were voters.

• 1016.

  There were about six or eight clerks and personation agents who were voters ? — I think there were.

• 1017.

  In addition to these messengers ? — Yes.

• 1018.

  Were any instructions given at the time the watchers were appointed, as to appointing voters or non- voters ? — No, not at all.

• 1019.

  Did you leave that entirely to Coleman ? — It appears to have been more a matter of accident than anything how many there were of one or the other.

• 1020.

  You left that entirely to Coleman’s direction ? — Yes, entirely. He was to select those whom he was sure were most fit and proper.

• 1021.

  Among those 26 messengers nine are voters; are the others sons or relatives of voters ? Yes, in all probability, or connections in some way.

• 1022.

  All of them ? — Yes, all of them, I should say.

• 1023.

  It strikes me, and I will get you to explain it to me, that Sandwich is a small place, comparatively, to require as many as 26 messengers ? — There is always something constantly coming up.

• 1024.

  You have 500 voters altogether ? — Yes.

• 1025.

  And 26 messengers. In round numbers, it is a messenger to every 19 or 20 voters. What do those people do ? — Sometimes a messenger was sent to Ramsgate, sometimes to Deal and sometimes to other places. There was always something every morning, communications between the parties, and there was always something to be done with the messengers.

• 1026.

  These appear to have been all, with one or two exceptions, on the same day ? — I don’t know that they were the same day.

• 1027.

  For one day they appear to have had IOs. 6d — They might have been there any previous day ; I am not able to say. At all events, the messengers appointed at the election had lOs. 6d, ; that is all they got

• 1028.

  Some had one or two guineas apiece. I suppose they were employed for more days ? — Yes, I suppose they were in a different position altogether from the others. I do not think it was an unusual number on this occasion.

• 1029.

  What class of men were these messengers ? — Will you mention a name ?

• 1030.

  (Mr. Turner.) Speaking generally ? — All highly respectable ; tradesmen some.

• 1031.

  Of what rank in life ? — Some were small tradesmen.

• 1032.

  (Mr. Holl.) Small tradesmen and artisans, or the relatives of persons of that class ?~ Yes. I have the two canvass books here. You were speaking yesterday about the organisation, and so on. I told you then we kept two books, one for the candidate and the other for the committee. Those are the books we used on this occasion (handing the same to the Commissioners), There is nothing in them.

• 1033.

  Which is the candidate’s book and which is yours ? — I think the large one was used very much by Sir Julian Goldsmid, and afterwards it came into our hands, and we used it in the committee. I don’t think it was left to him at all — at least, not alone.

• 1034.

  Where there are some marks against them in the tat column, what does that mean ? — Those were for Sir Julian Goldsmid.