§ MR. JAMES BAILEY (Newington, Walworth)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that Mr. Levi Joseph Dunham, returning officer at the vestry election on Saturday next, 29th May 1897, for the parish of Newington, has written a letter to The South London Press of Saturday last, 22nd May 1897, in which he makes a long attack in a partisan spirit on the election address of one section of the candidates, and concludes by calling upon the ratepayers to vote for the opposite party; and whether, considering that this returning officer has thus declared his partiality to one section of the candidates, the Local Government Board will take steps to prevent his presiding at the coming election?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. HENRY CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordMy attention has been called to the letter of Mr. Levi Joseph Dunham, the returning officer at the vestry elections for the parish of Newington on Saturday next, which was published in The South London Press of Saturday the 22nd inst., 1420 but only since a notice appeared of the Question of my hon. Friend, and I have thought it my duty to call for an explanation, which I have received. It affords, in my judgment, no excuse for conduct on the part of the returning officer which appears to me to have been grossly irregular and most reprehensible. It would be too late now to take action to prevent his presiding, the elections being on Saturday next, but I have no doubt that care will be taken by the candidates to guard against any irregularity on the part of the returning officer. Under the statute a returning officer who is guilty of any wilful misfeasance is liable, in addition to any other penalty or liability to which he may be subject, to forfeit a penal sum not exceeding £100 to any person aggrieved.