HC Deb 12 May 1892 vol 4 cc693-4
DR. CAMERON (Glasgow, College)

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the facts connected with the election of its Committee of Management by the Greenock Parochial Board on 17th March; whether it is true that, while the Board contains about 1,200 members, and 68 were present at the meeting, 1,547 mandates, purporting to be signed by members, were handed in in support of two competing lists of committee men; whether he is aware that, on a scrutiny, which extended over 21 sittings, and lasted to 25th April, 567 of the mandates were pronounced good and 980 rejected, as being signed in duplicate, or by persons who were not members of the Board; whether he is aware that, after the scrutiny, the whole of the mandates were handed back to the persons who had tendered them as votes, on the ground that the Board had no right either to retain or destroy them; and whether the law of Scotland contains any provision for preventing voting frauds, through vote by mandate, being perpetrated or attempted with impunity?

*THE LORD ADVOCATE (Sir C. J. PEARSON,) Edinburgh and St. Andrews Universities

My attention had not been called to the election of the Committee of Management of the Greenock Parochial Board on 17th March last; and I have no information as to the accuracy of the statements made in the question of the hon. Member. If he desires to obtain such information I shall be glad to get it for him; but I must point out to him that there is no reason to assume that any fraud was committed as suggested by the hon. Member, even although votes were rejected as stated in the question.

DR. CAMERON

Did I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that there are no means of stopping it?

*SIR C. J. PEARSON

I said there was no reason to assume that any fraud was committed as suggested in the question, although votes were rejected as stated.

DR. CAMERON

I shall repeat the question, and in the meantime might I ask the right hon. Gentleman to look into the question whether or not there were more votes tendered than there were members?