§ Mr. SPEAKER acquainted the House that he had received the following Certificate and Report from the Judges appointed to try the several Election Petitions relating to the Election for the Borough of West Bromwich:—
§ In the High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division.
§ The Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868, and The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act, 1883.
§ Election for the Borough of West Bromwich, holden on the 3rd day of December, 1910.
§ Between Alfred Ernest William Hazel, Petitioner.and William Legge, Viscount Lewisham, 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 on the rota 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 26th, 27th, 28th, and 29th days of April, and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th days of May, 1911, we duly held a Court at the Law Courts, West Bromwich, for the trial of, and did try, the Election Petition for the Borough of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, between Alfred Ernest William Hazel and William Legge, Viscount Lewisham, whereby the said Alfred Ernest William Hazel claimed the seat.
§ And, in further pursuance of the said Acts, we certify that at the conclusion of the said trial we determined that William Legge, Viscount Lewisham, being the Member whose election and return were complained of in the said Petition, was duly elected and returned, and that on the 1608 serutiny of the votes given and tendered at the said Election we determined that the Respondent, the said William Legge, Viscount Lewisham, had a majority of valid and lawful votes. And we do hereby certify such determination to you.
§ And whereas charges were made in the said Petition that corrupt and illegal practices had been committed at the said Election, we further certify and report—
- (1) That no corrupt or illegal practices were committed with the knowledge and consent of either candidate at the said Election or by their election agents;
- (2) That no persons were proved to have been guilty of any corrupt or illegal practices;
- (3) That it was not proved, nor is there reason to believe, that corrupt and illegal practices extensively prevailed at the said Election;
- (4) That neither candidate has been guilty by his agents of any corrupt or illegal practice.
§ A copy of the Evidence and of our Judgments, taken by the Deputies of the Shorthand Writer of the House of Commons, accompanies this our Certificate.
§ 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. Speaker.
§ Whereupon, Mr. Speaker adjourned the House, without Question put, pursuant to Standing Order 3.
Adjourned at Thirteen minutes after Five o'clock, till Monday next, 13th May