A DISFRANCHISED ELECTOR.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume III, Issue 311, 16 November 1881, Page 2

A DISFRANCHISED ELECTOR.

At the 11. M. Court on Monday, Mr John Byrne, butcher, appeared to answer an objection made by the Registrar Mr J. J. White, against his name being placed on the Electoral Roll for the district of Wairau. The claimant was represented by Mr McNab. In addressing the court Mr McNab stated that claimant’s application had been disallowed by the Registrar on political grounds. His Worship remarked that it was very unsatisfactory and deplorablo that no man could do anything in this district without being accused of having a political motive. Mr McNab agreed with the truth of this remark. His Worship suggested that as even, if it were proved that the man had a right to be on the roll, it was now too late to place him there, and as other cases of a similar nature were also set down for hearing, it would be advisable to adjourn them all to some more convenient date. Mr McNab stated that it was probable the Registrar had laid himself open to a civil action. Mr White trusted his Worship would hear the evidence as Mr McNab had made so many reckless statements. The following evidence was then taken : —John Byrne deposed-.-lain a butcher and reside in the Manse road, Blenheim. Am twenty-one years of age, and hive lived in Blenheim between five and six years. I filled up a claim on the 13th October, which was sent in on the day following. Have received the summons requiring my attendance here to-day, but have received no other document objecting to my claim. By Mr White ; I have lived in the Wairau District in the town of Blenheim for three years before putting in that claim. Have not received a registered letter from you since I put iu the claim. By the Bench : Sergeant Kicly called upon me about a week ago, just before I got the summons, and asked me how long I had been in the district.

Mr McNab called upon the Registrar to give evidence, who deposed as follows : I received the claim on the 14th October. Do not remember the fact of receiving it, but have made a memo upon it. I referred it to the police on the 15th October and objected to it on the 20th October. I made no personal enquiries mys«lf. I ff o not remember having seen the applicant before to-day. I posted, or caused to be posted to him a notice of objection within the fifteen days prescribed by the Act. The report I got from the police was that they could not hear anything about him, I took all the pains 1 could to find out whether he was qualified, and sent notice to him as required by the Act. Sergcat Kiely deposed : I received from the Registrar a list of applicants who claimed to have their names placed on tlia electoral roll for Wairau. I satisfied 111J* self that this man Byrne was entitled to vote. I returned the list about three weeks ago. I marked all that I found right with a cross in pencil. 0 The Registrar produced a list containing 30 names, which was handed to the witness, who stated that was the first list handed to him. The li3t upon which lie had marked Byrne as right was on a small slip of paper. Mr McNab asked that this should be produced. Mr White said he did not remember the list referred to and could not produce it. Sergeant Kiely said he was quite clear there was another list than the one produced and that Byrne had been returned upon that as entitled to vote. He had satisfied himself and thought he had also satisfied Mr \V bite that Byrne was duly qualified. f By Mr White : I cannot say whether the man went by the name of John Foley. By the Bench : I returned the first list to the Registrar. I could not then find out anything about Byrne. It is about a month since I got the first list from Mr Whit* and it was returned in about a w«ek. Tlier* were 30 names on the list and I reported on eight as being qualified, I cannot say

what other names were on the eecond list. I w«* a long while looking for Byrne before 1 White deposed : I remember Sergeant Kiely giving me a .mall dip o paper with three names upon it, two of which he said were qualified He said Byrne was qualified. 1 took the list up to Mr White more than a week ago. Bv Mr White : I never heard that Byrne wa. known as John Foley. I m quite sure his name wa. on the list as qualified. Ihe names on the list were in your handwriting. I think it was last Fncay week when I returned them. . , , ~ Mr McNab .aid it was evident that Mr 'White had been guilty of gross neglect. His Worship could not see that, although he might come to the conclusion that the man was entitled to have his name on the roll. , • i ii Mr White asked to be examined on oath, in order to contradict the statement made by Mr McNab. ~r „, , , . , His Worship said Mr McNab had acted very irregularly in making charges against people irrelevant to the matter ill hand. In order to give Mr White an opportunity lie was recalled by Mr McNab, and deposed :—I received the claim on the Mtli October, and next day referred it to the police with 3.*> others to report upon. Some time afterwards I received a report from the police and was verbally informed that they could not hear anything about Byrne Up to the date of waning the summons I had not received any satisfactory evidence of Byrne’s right to go on the roll, although I had issued a notice to him in a registered letter. I have no reccollection of his name being returned as qualified. His Worship said he would make an order for the name to be placed upon the roll, but of course it could not be put on until after the present election was over.

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