CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS (NORWICH CITY).

HC Deb 30 March 1886 vol 304 cc248-50

MR. SPEAKER

informed the House, that he had received from Mr. Justice Denman, and Sir Lewis Cave, knight, two of the Judges selected for the Trial of Election Petitions, a Certificate and Report relating to the Election for the City of Norwich:—

We, George Denman and Lewis Cave, being two of the Judges on the rota for the trial of Election Petitions, having presided at the trial of an Election Petition in which Birkbeck and others were Petitioners and Harry Bullard was Respondent, against the return of the said Harry Bullard as Member for the City of Norwich on the 25th day of November 1885, do hereby certify and report to the Speaker as follows:—

1. 1stly. We hereby certify that, at the conclusion of the Trial of the said Petition, we determined that the said Harry Bullard was not duly elected, and that the election of the said Harry Bullard was void.
2. 2ndly. We report that it has not been proved that any corrupt or illegal practice has been committed by or with the knowledge or consent of the said Harry Bullard at the said Election.
3. 3rdly. We report that the said Harry Bullard was guilty by his Agents of corrupt practices at the said Election.
4. 4thly. We report that the said Harry Bullard was not guilty of illegal practices by his Agents at the said Election.
5. 5thly. We report that the following persons have been proved at the said Trial to have been guilty of corrupt practices, namely:—
• Charles Wiggers, of 22, Lawson Road, St. Clement's Within, Shoemaker;
• William Atkinson, of the Sir Garnet Wolseley Inn, Market Place. Licensed Victualler;
• William Joseph Nightingale, of the Market Stores, Market Place, Licensed Victualler;
• Samuel Morris, of the Prince of Denmark Inn, New Catton, Licensed Victualler;
• William Morris, of the Balloon Public House, Waterloo Road, Potato Merchant and Licensed Victualler;
• Robert David Bush, of 4, York Street, Un-thanks Road, Music Master;
• William Kemp, of Pitt Street, Shoo Manufacturer.
6. 6thly. We report that the following persons have been proved at the said Trial to have been guilty of illegal practices, namely:—
• The said William Morris;
• Benjamin Corrick, of Colegate Street, Upholsterer;
• James Spinks, of 10, Starling Place, Cabman.
7. 7thly. We report that there is no reason to believe that corrupt or illegal practices have extensively prevailed at the said Election.
8. 8thly. We report that the following persons have been proved to have knowingly suffered treating to take place, in reference to the Election, on their licensed premises, namely:—
• Edwin Hartwell Corbyn, of the Walnut Tree Shades, Old Post Office Yard, Licensed Victualler;
• John King, of the Bull's Head Inn, Ber Street, Licensed Victualler;
• William Hewitt, of the Norwich Arms Inn, Ber Street, Licensed Victualler.
9. 9thly. We report that the following persons, who have been reported by us as having been guilty of corrupt or illegal practices, have been furnished by us with Certificates of Indemnity, namely: the said William Atkinson, the said William Joseph Nightingale, the said William Morris, the said Robert David Bush, the said 250 William Kemp, the said Benjamin Corrick, and the said James Spinks.
10. 10thly. We report that the following persons, who have been reported by us as having been guilty of corrupt or illegal practices, have not been furnished by us with Certificates of Indemnity, namely: the said Charles Wiggers and the said Samuel Morris.

As witness our hands, this 29th day of March, 1886,

GEORGE DENMAN.

LEWIS CAVE.

And the said Certificate and Report were ordered to be entered in the Journals of this House.