A SMART TRICK.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1313, 7 June 1883, Page 3

A SMART TRICK.

The “ Hawke’s Bay Herald ” has the following:—“During the recent political contest, when the scrutineers and the returning officer of one of the constituencies were making up the results of the poll, thay were greatly mystified by discovering in the ballot-box a number of blanis sheets resembling ballot papers in every respect, but not printed or written upon, and the mystery became still thicker when several cases occurred of two ballot papers being found folded together. But a solution of the enigma has been discovered, and it exposes a very smart electioneering dodge. The agent for a candidate having settled with a number of the ‘ free and enlightened ’ as to the monetary value they place upon their right to the franchise, he adopts the following method of securing their votes: When No. 1 elector presents himself at the committee room he receives a piece of paper folded to represent a ballot paper ; this the trust voter drops into the ballot-box, retaining the numbered and initalled which he receives from the Returning Officer, and which he delivers safety to the agent, who then, and not till then, ‘disburses.’ When No. 2 voter appears, be receives No. I’s paper, which has been satisfactorily marked, places it in the ballot-box, aud presents his own to the agent ; and go the game goes on until the the time

ot closing draws near, when someone in the secret, who has fori he purpose refrained from voting previously, deposits in the ballot-box his own and the last purchased ballot paper folded together.