HOW TO EVADE THE BALLOT.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1210, 11 September 1874, Page 2

HOW TO EVADE THE BALLOT.

The London Spectator of'a late date contains a letter linger the above heading, from a Mr Chas. G. Hoyden, of Sydney, showing how they do these things across the water, and corroborating the old adage, " Where there's a Will there's a way " —no matter how carefully the law may be framed. The following is the substance of Mr Hoyden's letter : "MrK, —-You take an interest in the Ballot, perhaps you might Mice to hear how it has been evaded sometimes here in Australia. "At the opening of the poll, the election agent sends iri a voter, whom he has supplied with a blank piece of paper, folded so as to resemble a folded ballot-paper. Having this in his pocket, tho voter goes in, receives his ballot-paper, and passes on into the private box. There, instead of marking out any candidates's name, ho puts the voting-paper iri his pocket and takes out the blank paper, which he carries to the ballot-box and drops through the slit. He then comes out, and gives to the agent the unmarked ballot - paper. The agent at once scratches out the names of the hostile candidates, folds up the paper, and gives it to a second voter, who passes in, acts with this paper as the first voter had acted with the blank paper, and brings out to tho agent another clean ballot-paper. This goes on throughout tho day, and when tho poll is about closing, the agent goes iri himself, gets his own voting-paper, and of course is able to drop two into tho ballot-box, thus saving again the vote which ho lost when he sent in only a blank sheet. " I think you will agree with me that this is rather ingenious. Whether tho plan was invented here I do not know, but I am told that it has been worked here sometimes.

"Of course, on opening the ballot-box, ouo blank piece of paper will turn up, and this is the only indication the Returning Officer has of bribery having taken place." The check upon this little game is in the watchfulness of the Returning Officer, that not a single paper shall be put into the box, except folded so as to show the official stamp impressed on it before it is handed to a voter.