POLITICS IN ENGLAND. A Scheme of the Liberals to Capture a Tory Meeting.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 99, 25 April 1885, Page 5

POLITICS IN ENGLAND. A Scheme of the Liberals to Capture a Tory Meeting.

At tho Stafford Assizes recently, botore Mr Justice Hawkins, Walter Kirton, nephew of Richard Tangye, of the firm of Tangye Brothers (limited), was charged with inciting William Kirton to forgo tickets of admission to Aston Lower grounds on October 6th, with intent to defraud. Mr Darling prosecuted, and Alfred Young defended. Mr Darling, in opening the case, stated that on October 13th the Conservative party at Birmingham had arranged to have a demonstration in the Lower grounds at Aston in favour of the policy they were then advocating. Owing to adverse circumstances, the Conservative party did not succeed in making a very successful demonstration. (Laughter.) They had, how ever, completed every preparation for a happy and useful political meeting. The advertisement announcing the demonstration stated that tho grounds would be illuminated with "coloured lamps and lanterns, and grand political aids" — (laughter) -and that there would be a fireportrait of Sir Stafford Northcote— in itself not an unimportant matter, but not very important to thi3 particular case. There were special reserved-seat tickets, costing 2s 6d ; reserved-seat tickets costing Is, and white tickets of admission to the grounds, signed by and to be obtained from William Barton, Secretary of the Conservative Association, Prisoner was a young man eraployed in the works of his relative, Mr Tangye, and had a cousin, William Kirton, employed as a printer at Nottingham. On October 6th the prisoner wrote to his cousin from Murdock Road, Handsworth : Dear Willie : lam deucedly ashamed to ask you for any more favours, but here is a ticket for the Tory demonstration on i Monday, and I want you to reply per return whether you can print a few and send them up by Friday. 1 pay costs of cards and carriage. It is rather an intricate one, and I am afraid it in "no go," as you would not be able to do the signature, I suppose. However, write and let me know by return. How is the spanner going on ? Yours faithfully, in a deuced hurry. — Walter Kirton. His Lordship— How is deuced spelled there ? Mr Darling— lt is spelled correctly, my Lord. His Lordship — In my copy it is spelled "dewced" (Laughter.) Alfred Young -It is a Conservative way, my Lord, His Lordship — It is a Liberal one, I think. Mr Darling urged that the letter plainly solicited William Kirton to have the tickets printed, obviously for the purpose of enabling people to get into the demonstration without going to Mr Barton and asking for tickets. Mr Barton would have given a ticket to any rerson who he thought would behave himself, and defendant himsolf must have obtained the specimen ticket from Mr Barton, but in Birmingham and other large towns there existed what Mr Bright called the " residuum," and at a political meeting, if one wished to be heard, it was just as well that that residuum should be outside. (Laughter.) If a residunm wanted to get into the demonstration, and could have gotany one to give them sixpence, there was nothing to prevent them from going, but it did not suit defendant to get the residuum in by such expensive means. William Barton, Secretary to the Birmingham Conservative Association, was called to depose to the facts stated. In cross examination by Alfred Young, he admitted that in advertisements prior to October 10th or lUh, admission was announced by ticket, and no statement made as to the entrance of the general public by payment. William Kirton was called to identify the letter received by him as the defendant's handwriting. Mr Young addressed the jury for the defence. The jury found the prisoner guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy. Mr Darling denied that the Conservative party pro?ecuted vindictively, and now that justice had been done, they desired to ask his lordship to deal as leniently with the defendant as possible. They attributed the whole affair to the political association connected with the Messrs Tangye's works. His Lordship said the case was a proper one for prosecution. He imposed a fine of £25 and costs, and sentenced the prisoner to three days' imprisonment, — "London Telegraph."

It is related of a New Zealand Militia officer that he once issued the following big order: "The battalion will be reviewed by Major-General at sunset tomorrow. The sun will set at 6.37 p.m. By order of Major — , commanding. Young ladies who will not marry when they have a chance Miss it. The Governor takes a great interest in the defence operations ab Wellington. Hon. Mr Ballance has unexpectedly been recalled from the South to Wellington.