A Caution.

Manawatu Herald, 10 April 1894, Page 3

A Caution.

Thb Stipttohhrl^frUth reports the f«Jtopto^RffHf of the '. iiftatoial Act, which is well to bear Neill, licensee of '' gMJj&I I Aft Bart Hotel, was charged iw^Mr R. Beethara, S.M., this rirtMiirig^ 'with having signed liis imiTJ^^dfefcesting a signature, which he had not seen written or Woortained that the person indicated had^ written it. Mr Stringer appeatdd for the prosecution. The defofclant admitted the offence, arid made a statement. He said that fcbout i January 19th he was standiug In th« passage of the hotel talking to jabm* gentlemen when a man named "jSfftt Hall, who was employed getting jjqojgleiti names on the Eleotoral Roll, came, up and asked him to witneßs the signature of Miss Niool, who was in defendant's employment, and who waa not about at the time. Defendant aslted Sail why he did not wftneis' i 'the signature himself Hall f*id it was because he was not on the ' JIdJU himself, which was true. Hall ittid hie had seen the young lady write her name, and defendant thinking it was all right put in his flame as attestor. This was the only 1 lime he had signed as witness fe i signature, and he was surprised W Mi that Miss Nicol had not 3w«AJ$« oUim to vote. He had le4nt«tttion whatever to be a party \q a deception, though he had been .Iti^tir*!*!?^ "Mr : Stringer said it wm Mtdtff* frh'at "defendant had codtthitj|{d;.the offence unwittingly, wijfceqtr -mtendiftg to deceive. Mr W^^Waflcer said, this was the first offe^ce;*)f :tko kind that he had dis- \ eovem. Mtfßeetham said the Act required to be carried out strictly, so that there should be no possibility of fcypntfltinrt of corrupt practice. The maximum fine as penalty was £50, bttfttfider the circumstances- of the •M 6« and as it was the first of its I«kJ, 'defendant would be fined £2, with costs. E^* ===== ■■;.,