HC Deb 25 May 1905 vol 146 cc1404-5
MR. DOOGAN (Tyrone, E.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a protest, signed by 207 local government electors, against the proposed change by the returning officer, Mr. Claud Hamilton, of their polling station from Coalisland to New Mills, on the grounds that rumours had reached him that there was some disorderly conduct at the previous election, notwithstanding the fact that the presiding officer, polling clerks, candidates, and police state that the rumour was baseless; whether he is aware that the Orange village of New Mills has neither police station nor telegraph office, that it is two miles distant from Coalisland, that there are only 150 voters in the neighbourhood as against 480 in Coalisland, mainly mill workers, many of whom, after quitting work at six o'clock, would be unable to walk two miles and have their votes cast within the statutory period; and whether, in the public interest, he has communicated with Mr. Hamilton and made to him representations that the proposed change should be abandoned.

MR. WALTER LONG

Yes, Sir; the protest was received and communicated to the Returning Officer, who stated that after the elections in 1902 complaints were made to him as to the manner in which voters, agents, and others had been treated by the crowd at Brackaville. He took steps to investigate these complaints before deciding to change the polling station to New Mills, and satisfied himself that they were made bona fide and were true in fact. The Returning Officer in making the change was not influenced in any way by political considerations. Under Sections 1 and 13 of the Local Government Board Election Order of February, 1899, the Returning Officer has the right to determine the situation and number of polling stations and the Board have no jurisdiction to interfere in the matter. I have communicated to Mr. Hamilton the representations made to me against the change, and that officer regrets he cannot see his way to revert to the old arrangement. I may add that I personally regret he has not Seen his way to take this course.