HC Deb 14 June 1911 vol 26 cc1523-5

Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER informed the House that he had received from the Judges appointed to try the several Election Petitions the following Certificate and Report relating to the Election for the Central Division of the Borough of Kingston-upon-Hull:—

In the High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division.

The Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, 1854.

The Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868.

The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act, 1883.

Election for the Central Division of the Borough of Kingston - upon - Hull, holden on the 7th day of December, 1910.

Between Marriott Morley, Charles Wray, and Benjamin Musgrave.

Petitioners.

and

Sir Henry Seymour King, K.C.I. E.

Respondent.

To the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons.

We, Sir Edward Ridley, Knight, and Sir Thomas Townsend Bucknill, Knight, Judges of the High Court of Justice, and two of the Judges for the time being for the trial of Election Petitions in England and Wales, do hereby certify, in pursuance of the said Acts, that, upon the 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 29th, 30th, and 31st days of May and the 1st day of June, 1911, we duly held a Court at the Sessions Court, Hull, for the trial of and did try the Election Petition for the Central Division of the Borough of Kingston-upon-Hull, in the county of York, between Marriott Morley, Charles Wray, and Benjamin Musgrave, Petitioners, and Sir Henry Seymour King, K.C.I.E., Respondent. And in further pursuance of the said Acts we certify that, at the conclusion of the said trial, we determined that the said Sir Henry Seymour King, K.C.I.E., being the Member whose election and return were complained of in the said Petition, was not duly elected and returned, and we do hereby certify in writing such our determination to you.

And whereas charges were made in the said Petition of corrupt and illegal practices having been committed at the said Election we, in further pursuance of the said Acts, report as follows:—

  1. 1. That the corrupt practice of bribery was proved to have been committed by the said Sir Henry Seymour King, K.C.I.E., who was a candidate at the said Election, but, with the excepton of the corrupt practice of bribery committed by the said Sir Henry Seymour King, K.C.I.E., as aforesaid, no corrupt or illegal practice was proved to have been committed by or with the knowledge or consent of any candidate at the said Election.
  2. 2. That no person other than the said Sir Henry Seymour King, K.C.I.E., who was proved to have been guilty of the corrupt practice of bribery as aforesaid, was proved to have been guilty of any corrupt or illegal practice.
  3. 3. That corrupt or illegal practices were not proved to have been nor have we reason to believe that corrupt or illegal practices have extensively prevailed at the said Election (or at all).
  4. 4. That no candidate has been proved to have been guilty by his Agents of any corrupt or illegal practice at the said Election.
  5. 5. That the said Sir Henry Seymour King, K.C.I.E., has been furnished with a certificate of indemnity.

A Copy of the Evidence and of our Judgments, taken by the Deputies of the Shorthand Writer to the House of Commons, accompanies this our Certificate.

Dated the 13th day of June 1911.

EDWARD RIDLEY.

T. T. BUCKNILL.

And the said Certificate and Report were ordered to be entered in the Journals of this House.

Copy of Shorthand Writer's Notes laid upon the Table by Mr. Deputy-Speaker.