THE ELECTIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 302, 19 December 1914, Page 2

THE ELECTIONS.

A TALL YARN.

SCOUTS AFTER BRIBERY.

Energetic Supporters of Mr T. M. Wilford became widely excited on Monday, states the Petone Chronicle. On the bowling green, in the ’buses and trams, there was one topic of conversation at the Hutt. Mr Wilford had paid Messrs Wottoir and Ryder £lO by cheque which would unseat him at the past election. Telephones were requisitioned, telegrams poured in, and the twopenny slot telephone at the Lower Hutt was at its, busiest. On Saturday, at 12 noon to he exact, Mr 1 Wilford visited Petone and received from Mr F. London, Returning Officer, a cheque for £lO, being Mr Wilford’s deposit. With Mr Wilford in his car were Mrs Wilford and a prominent committeeman of his from the Lower Hutt. Mr Wilford, requiring some cash and having pulled up at the Hutt Post Office, called Mr Wotton out to his car, and handing over Mr London’s cheque, asked him if he would oblige him with the change. Mr Wotton pointed out that the cheque required endorsing, which Mr Wilford did in the car. Mr Wotton then found he did not have enough money to change the cheque, and promised if Mr Wilford would call on his way back from the Upper Hutt to have the change for him, it being after bank hours. On Saturday Mr Wilford was kept at Upper Hutt too late and did not call at Wotton and Ryder’s on his way back. On Monday morning Mr Wilford received the following letter, dated December 12th:—“Dear Sir.—Please find cheque enclosed for £lO. We did not see you again on Saturday to give you your change and I as we had parted with your cheque wej enclose one of our own for the same amount.—Signed, Wotton and Ryder.” The joke is that a busybody saw the cheque endorsed by Mr Wilford, and knowing that he did not get his meat from. Messrs Wotton and Ryder, started the yarn that .a bribe had been paid. Soon an army of scouts were out only to find another mare’s nest.