MINISTERIAL CORRUPTION IN VICTORIA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5330, 27 April 1878, Page 3

MINISTERIAL CORRUPTION IN VICTORIA.

(Prom the Melbourne Argus, April 16.) ■ Somo conception of the manner in which the Ministers worked for the return of their colleague at West Melbourne on Thursday, may! bo gathered from the way in which the Government railways were used to secure the attendance of persons at present residing up country, but whose names still remain on tho roll for West Melbourne. It has been ascertained that at least 140 free passes were issued by tho Hallway Department to bring persons to Melbourne in connection with tho election. I’orty free passes went to Ballarat alone, and we are informed that only eight of tho persons receiving them there had their names still on the West Melbourne roll, and oven these were disqualified through having changed their residence. ■ The names have booh ascertained, also, of persons brought down froni Maryborough, Portland, Sandhurst, and -other places at the- public expense to record their votes for Sir Bryan O’Loghleu. Some' who ■ scrupled, at directly violating the law, bqt had no objection to evading it, were brought to Melbourne a few days before the election, so that they oonld, without injury to their tender conscience, answer in the affirmative the question'.whether, they-were at present residing in: the,.electorate. Kyidence; is also forthcoming that in one large country t.owu

five railway officials, whose names are still on 'the West 1 Melbourne roll, though they have long since lost their residential qualification, received positive instructions from the Minister of Railways to'come to 1 Melbourne and record their votes for Sir Bryan O’Jjoghlen, and that they did so. Some of the persons who voted illegally escaped without protest at the time, but we are informed that the number of votes objected to on sufficient grounds, though admitted by the returning officers, largely exceeds the majority by which Sir Bryan O'Loghlen secured his seat.