§ The Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868, and
§ The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Acts, 1883 and 1895.
§ To the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons.
§ We, the Honourable Baron Pollock and the Honourable Mr. Justice Lawrance, Judges of Her Majesty's High Court of Justice, and two of the Judges on the rota for the time being for the trial of Election Petitions in England, do hereby in pursuance of the said Acts certify that upon the 27th day of January 1896, we duly held a Court at the Town Hall in the Borough of Sunderland, in the county of Durham, for the trial of and did on the said day and three following days try the Election Petition for the said Borough, between Samuel Storey Esquire, Petitioner, and William Theodore Doxford, Respondent.
§ And, in further pursuance of the said Acts, we report:—
§ That, at the conclusion of the said trial we determined that the said William Theodore Doxford, being the Member whose Election and return were complained of, was duly elected and returned, and we hereby certify such our determination to yon.
§ And whereas charges were made of illegal practices having been committed at the said Election we, in further pursuance of the said Acts, report as follows:—
- 1. That on illegal practice was proved to have been committed by or with the knowledge and consent of any candidate at the said Election
- 2. That there is not reason to believe that illegal practices have extensively prevailed at the said Election.
- 3. That no candidate has been proved to be guilty of any illegal practice.
§ C. E. POLLOCK
§ J. C. LAWRANCE.