84. Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked the President of the Board of Trade for what reason the nomination by members of the Ironfounders' Society of Mr. Jonas Pearson for election as a representative on the Court of Referees, under the National Insurance Act, Part II., for the Bradford district, was declared invalid: what officer declared the nomination invalid, and on what grounds and on what date; and whether any notice was given, either to Jonas Pearson or the twenty-five people who nominated him, in time for them to make good any technical flaw in the nomination paper?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Robertson)Mr. Pearson's nomination paper was declared invalid because the names of the nominators had been written in the same handwriting and the paper therefore did not comply with the requirement that it should be signed by the prescribed number of persons. As to the last part of the question, I am making inquiries and will let the hon. Member know the result.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSCan the hon. Gentleman say whether all the other nomination papers for the same election were not signed in exactly the same way?
88. Mr. FRED HALL (Dulwich)asked the President of the Board of Trade if he was aware that the iron founders at Falkirk were recently informed that they were entitled to vote for representatives on the Court of Referees under the National Insurance Act, and furnished with ballot papers; that later they were told that such papers were furnished under a misapprehension and asked to return them; that on the morning of the poll the papers were sent back again to the men with an intimation that they were qualified to vote, with the result that a number of 1265 men had not time to register their votes; and if, in the circumstances, the Board of Trade proposes to arrange for a further poll to be held?
Mr. ROBERTSONInquiry is being made into the matter and I will communicate the result to the hon. Member.