§ SIR BENJAMIN HALL,as Chairman of the Tynemouth Election Committee, appeared at the bar, and reported that the Committee had determined—
That Hugh Taylor, esquire, is not duly elected a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Tynemouth.That the last Election for the said Borough is a void Election.Also that the Committee had agreed to the following Resolutions:—That Hugh Taylor, esquire, was, by his agents, guilty of bribery and treating at the last Election for the Borough of Tynemouth.That it was proved to the Committee, that Samuel Bell was bribed by payment in the form of refreshment tickets to the amount of 9l. 10s.; and that these tickets were issued from the Committees of the Candidates on both sides, namely, 5l. 10s. from the Committee of Mr. Taylor, and 4l. from the Committee of Mr. Ralph William Grey.That a system of corruption by means of refreshment tickets, called 'Orders,' prevailed at the last Election on behalf of both Candidates.That it was not proved to the Committee, that either the bribery or treating above referred to were committed with the knowledge or consent of the said Hugh Taylor.That it appears that the expenses of the said Hugh Taylor, in reference to the late election, amounted to 1,900l.That the Committee have reason to believe that corrupt practices extensively prevailed in the said Borough of Tynemouth at the last Election.
§ Report to lie on the table.
§ SIR BENJAMIN HALLsaid, that, in compliance with an instruction of the Committee, he now gave notice that, on a proper occasion, he should move for the issue of a Commission to inquire into the Borough of Tynemouth.