THE WAIRAU PETITION

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10589, 21 March 1912, Page 5

THE WAIRAU PETITION

FURTHER EVIDENCE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) BLENHEIM, Last \ T ight. In ihe Election Court, \Ym. Hemy Newman said that for a, first time ho had acted as Secretary at an "lection for Mr. McOall um. Ho did not terminate the arrangement because Mr McOallum refused to pay him. lb was after he had resigned the Secretaryship that ho was offered and accepted 1 the position of deputy returning officer at Te Awaiti. Mr McCallum had ro hand in getting him the appointment. Ho did no canvassing for McCallum. He received no money from McOallum during the last six months, but had received £ls from a, client of .McCallum and Mills ou the security of a life insurance policy. This was early in October last. 1 Etheibert H. Best, motor far proprietor, said the use of one of his cars was given gratuitously to McCallum on . each day. John. W. Campbell, "licensee of the Federal Hot-el at Picton, said McOallum did not obtain supplies of liquor from him. . Mr Sinclair then dealt with a charge that at Mirza, between the lirtt and second ballots, Archibald McOalliim, respondent's brother, gave the oicr.tors J money to buy liquor for tho purpose of J treating and bribing such electors to! vow for ;ie»pbhdent. \ . Frank Dodson, late -nuvutyr of the firm of Dbd-soa And Co., brewers, said. thar, (jt; December ihe : ncllarroan an d: o'er.-for eiglifc-eeu gallons; of jbeor, entered as "J. : Ward, McCalfmn:"; He consigned.it! at the railway to Hargood. Frank Bull gavo him the order and told him tho other day he had the money to pay, him. He had never been able to find Hargood. James Chinn, manager for tho Dodson brewery, said .some days after the beer was supplied;;. Norman Dodson, another member of'the firm, asked withos not to charge the beer, and accordingly he did not transfer tho entry to the ledger. Norman Dodson corroborated this. He said it was at Frank Dodson's request He did not know J. Hargood. In regard to supply of liquor at Okarimo for the purpose of influencing votes, George North,. farmer, said' that after McCallum's meeting there on November 25th, a number of electors had drinks. He understood A. M. McCallum paid, but he was not certain. Trio respondent was talking to somebody outside, the hotel when witness had the drink. \

David Henderson, farmer, said he J and ;i friend or two walked into the \ hotel, when A. M. McCallum asked them to have a drink. If McCallum had not asked them they would have had the drink "by themselves. They generaJlj looked for a drink from poii- / tic.il candidates during election campaign. Mr Sinclair then reverted to the Parker case, Edward Parker having returned from his farm. ~ Parker said he told the O'Sulliyan family that Bull had kept witness to , his agreement to let McCallum have the ears for the election. Ho probably told them the cars were engaged for. next election. Mr Sinclair wished to ask witness a question, icgarding tiw hire of a motor car by Mr Healy (Mr Duncan's secretary),', but Mr Skerret objected, and their Honors upheld the objection. ..•On the charges of .providing and paying money to Frank Morrison in return for services rendered between the first and second ballots, Win. Henry Macey denied that he was instructed at a meeting of Literal supporters after the first ballot to engage Morrison to canvas for votes for McCallum. Ho went to Morrison's house one night. Morrison had promised previous to the first ballot to do all he could to assist McCallum if Mr Wiffm, of whose comimittee he was chairman, was defeated at the first ballot. Ho asked Mr Morrison if he could give a good deal of his time to working in McCallum's interests. Mr Morrison said he would if ho could arrange his work, and he came to see him next morning. Ho arranged with Morrison that he should accompany McCartney, aaid address a meeting at Renwick that evening. Mr Morrison accompanied A. McCallum to Seddon on the Tuesday. He gave Morrison, to understand that neither R. McCallum nor witness could offer him payment. . Archibald McCallum said that oh the Tuesday before the second ballot Morrison accompanied him on a motor trip to Seddon and Ward. To Judge Williams: Ho neither promised nor paid Morrison money. .To Mr Skerrett: Ha 'was no party to sending beer to Mirza, and knew of nono going cither there or to any other part of the electorate. Frank' Morrison said that on tho occasion of" the conversation with Macey* the latter did not agree to .pay him. He did nob got to Wiffin and constilt him as to whether witness should take the position of canvasser for McCaJlum at a remuneration of £1 per day. Ho might have told a good many that

ho was getting £1 a day in order ' deliberately mislead them. He did not "-et one penny from anyone. Neither did ho admit getting £1 anonymously through "the post. ' To Mr Skerrett: In December, aJter the election, Mr Sinclair and two others came to the farm where witness was working and said they -had come on election business. Mr Sinclair produced a-, paper containing the words, "F. Morrison, £1 per day." He then told witness that he wanted help in up"setting the election. Ho was representing Carr and others. Witness, told Sinclair he did not see how be could do any good, as he had not received anv nioney. Mr Sinclair said, "You have!'' Witness again denied it. Then .Sinclair said, "When you go to town on Saturday, see Mr Macey and get the raonev." Witness stud there was

no money coming to him. When in town on, Saturday lie did not call on Macey. On December 24th, Sinclair called at his -house and asked him if he got the money from Macey. Wit-ness-soid he received no money from Macey. Then Sinclair asked him if he had a "nip" in the house. He said he had not. He next saw Mr Sinclair on December 19th at llen.wiek. Mr Sinclair told him ho had brought a man to take witness' place so that he couici go to town, to get the money. Witness replied that he was capable of doing his own work himself. Mr Sinclair then said, "What would be nicer than having the next two days oKJ lou could loaf about town, casually bum,) up against Macey, and ask him for the money owing to you." Witness said that Macey would want to know what money. Mr Sinclair said, "You. know there's money coming to you. v\ ltness again denied it. Mr -Sinclair then told him he was very foolish; .for if he helped to upset tho election there was ! a tiling in it for him—a good lump sum. Mr Sinclair then ottered 1 him whisky, and after having a drink together, Mr Sinclair gave him M><» remainder of the contents (produced;. Later he saw Sinclair, who said, ""Have you got the money yet!" Witness said "No; I have washed my hands of all that dirty business. He did not see MoCallum or Macey from the evening of the second ballot ■ U., after the publication of the petition on January 18th. Ho made statements about being paid before the publication of the petition. The Court at this stage adjourned until ten o'clock on Thursday morning.