CURIOUS ELECTION BILLS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2231, 27 February 1886, Page 3

CURIOUS ELECTION BILLS.

*Treatinji has always been a prevalent, gugh, perhaps, not a formidable snurco corruption in connection with English elections, and no small advantage has been sucked by tho'publicans at a general election. How tlio practice has developed nifty bo gathered by comparing a Scotch election tavern bill in Kiu'O with a Somer- ■ Botshiro one in 1813. former j-uns as follows :

As a spceimon of an Irish bill wo givo the following, which was rendered to Sir iMarcus Somerville,. father of the present Lord Athlumney, who represents Meath, Mid was framed and hung in his house : ftTo eating l(i freeholders from St. Marks stairs, at 2s 3d per head is to me—--212 6. To eating 11 more below stairs t and two priests at tor supper is to me—l .15 0. To G beds in one room and 4, in tothor at 2 guineas for every bed, and not moro than 4 in any bed at any time', cheap enough ttod knows is to.mie—22'ln 0. To 3 horses and mules in yard all night at 13d each ono of them and for,,a man''; witching them : all night—-5 .5 f(j. .>Ta breakfast on tay, fo.r .oyery.: oiie ;of'; them a3 near as 1 can guess'—'4 raw' whisky and punch: .without? pipes tobacco as well as for breakin- ■(ppfc, above stairs and othorglasses and dfeuf: the first: day and iirst'hight 1 ain notiiiirej but I think for 'days and ,£;bf preelection as little ns;'l can call itand'&be';: very exact is in all^br;tlioreabouts■ as ii tiai: ■ as I can guess dressing and cropping o.ff:feheads>of .2f freeholders for Sir. Marks'!bysmy'' : :^rothey; has a woto at' 13 fivery i>i|G, of i : tlit;iii/and, chepe enough Go(V.iipes#2,-s,''6'iV 'For'va; womit and nurae:.fmy ; |fe6fTom Ivcvniuv-iii: the middle of the: jiigli't wjib'ii'lip'was-jio'k expected .is to nioHpnlogs j."*X'dpii?t'--tafk of the piper for liiih sobci' s(j long as ho is sober iß;t6'me.£4fJ;lUjO,; :

11018,7 youihiay spndlti- 0 : v6/ so. your? Honor Sir jMatks senchjme;: this';, eleven'/ hundred ■hiiiiself.^whb;. midi'■%', prays always;f6r:yb'uKsuccess!iti TriinaniJ'' more at present;: 1 '" -..-i :

For bread, alo, and tobacco. , Anchovies and oysteva... Sturgeon and butter ... . 8 dozen bottles of canary 2 dozen bottles claret ... Neat's tongues ... £1 17 G ..120 .. 0 14 1 ... 10 12 0 ..120 ... 0 (1 2 Sum is ...£1513 9 The Somersetshire list of charges of one day's expenses at a small pot-house at Ilchester, in the contest for the County of Somerset, in 1813 runs as follows:— . 353 bottles rum and gin, at Us £105 18 0 57 bottles French brandy, 100 21)18 G 614 gallons beer, at 2a 8(1 ... u'8 10 8 792 dinners, at 2s Cd ... 09 0 0 £30417 2

A '^& vTlie;,total: "': W ■'■:■■ ':s-.fe>,o-,o ; 1 ■-;,::';(';<■;. .■ ■.2'l5 i v , 0-:#. . -.?'.'■';"■ ;f.-.'/Signed ■-,;■'■ -22 ■!&. ."0: ■:o'-- ' in pla'cc'of Jimniy Car; wife-.' . 5- 6 ; 0 ' 0 .., : ;..:',J',t;y.;'liif .4'12^0/Ov .'■'.i'J' =Bryan x.Garra'ty ■ '■.Wl5'-0'.-.9- ' . ■ ,.m4 .i* .,- .-^lo'io';- 1 -.' .■v...:'-'-:'ff.:;d'