65. Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked who were the successful and unsuccessful candidates for election to the Court of Referees for the Colchester and Harwich districts, how many votes each received, and how many voters were qualified in each district to vote?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Robertson)I am sending the hon. Member a statement of the results of these elections. I am afraid that it would not be possible, without a great amount of labour, to ascertain the number of qualified voters in the different districts in the country.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSCan the hon. Gentleman say if any record is kept of the men entitled to vote and the numbers of those men?
Mr. ROBERTSONThere is no complete register. It would take a great deal of investigation to get the figures.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSCan the hon. Gentleman say how it is possible to find out whether the right men have voted if he does not know who is qualified?
66. Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked what date and by what Department or officer the nomination of Mr. Jonas Pearson by members of the Ironfounders' Society for election to the Court of Referees for the Bradford district was declared invalid; whether any other nomination for the same election was declared invalid; and whether any other nomination was made by nominators whose names were written and not individually signed?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe nomination papers of candidates for election as workmen's representatives were scrutinised immediately after receipt at the Board of Trade Offices in London. I may point out that Mr. Pearson's nomination paper was not received at the Bradford Labour Exchange until 10.30 a.m. on 23rd October, when it was delivered by post, the latest time for receipt of nomination papers being 1 p.m. on that day. One other nomination paper in the Bradford Ward was declared invalid, the ground of invalidity being the same as in the case of Mr. Pearson. Taking the whole country, I find that eighty-seven nominations out of about 3,000 received were declared invalid for the same reason.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSCan the hon. Gentleman answer the question I put with regard to the official who declared those nominations invalid, was it locally or at the head office?
Mr. ROBERTSONIn that case it was local, but as I have stated, the nomination papers were scrutinised immediately after receipt at the Board of Trade Offices. In that particular case there was not time.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSWould the right hon. Gentleman say by whom in Bradford it was declared invalid?