The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-08 00:00:00

ELECTION COMMITTEES.-{THIS DAY.)

DEVONPORT.
The select committee appointed to try the merits
of the petition against the return of Mr. Fleming and Mr.
Ferrand resumed their inquiry this morning at .11 o'clock ;
Mr. C. W. Wynn in the chair.
Mr. Fleming, examined by Mr. Ponce—l was an unsuc-
cessful candidate for Devonport in June, 1865, and was
returned at the subsequent election in July. I believe
that the election wee conducted on the most pure
principles, and I never authorised any illegal ex-
penditure on my behalf. I remember having a cup
of tea at the house of a man named Egbert. I
never authorised him to put it down in his bill against me
along with the rest. I never authorised the payment of
money to dockyard labourers for the toes of time. I never
heard of anything of this Dort until this petition was pre-

seated.
Cross-examined—My agents were Messrs. Beer and
Rundall. My election expenses amounted to 3001.
According to the published account, the expenses were
3321. I have not yet paid the balance.
Re-examined—17 do not intend to pay one farthing
towards the sum paid to the dockyard labourers.
By the Committee—The question of a petition first arose
about January, just before the meeting of parliament, and
long after the election.
Mr. Cneetham—Mr. Phinn, when before us yesterday,
told us that he made a declaration at one of his meetings
that he would not pay a shilling for loss of time, or under
any guise. Did you make a similar declaration publicly?
I stated certainly on one, but I believe on several occasions
that I was determined to fight the election on the moat per-
fectly pure principles, and would not sanction the slightest
illegal expenditure.
Mr. Ferrand was next called. He said—l have been a
candidate for the representation of Devonport on fivo
occasions, and have been successful in two. I had not the
slightest knowledge of the system of payments to dock-
yard men for loss of time, until this petition was pre-
sented. I gave distinct notice to every committee at the
last election that if one sixpence was spent illegally and
our opponents became aware of it there would certainly
be a petition. lam not aware that on any occasion
I paid any sum of money illegally. I stated in
the presence of the two innkeepers who were eta-
amined yesterday that I would not allow a farthing
in treating. The borough is a very extensive one, and it
was necessary for the proper management of the election
that we should have a considerable number of committee-
rooms. I visited all the committee-rooms, and took great
pains to see that nothing went on illegally. I have not
authorised any illegal payment. I do not intend to pay a
farthing for any such purpose.
Cross-examined by Mr. H. James—l had no professional
paid agents. Messrs. Rundall and Beer acted as my
agents. I have not received any election account, hut that
was a matter of arrangement. I have paid all my
accounts for previous elections. Ilbelieve I bad detailed
statements of the expenses, but there was nothing in them
about payments to dockyard men for loss of time. I have
not been asked to contribute anything towards the ex-
pense of the last election. There was an arrangement that,
as I had been at the expense of four contests previously,
my candidature at the last election should not cost me
anything.
This closed the case on behalf of the sitting members.
Mr. Price, Q.C., then addressed the committee, con-
tending that although small payments might have been
made to some of the dockyard voters for loss of time,
they were made without the knowledge and consent of the
sitting members, and those gentlemen could not be held
responsible for them.
[Left sitting.]