The Washington herald., 1910-12-04
FATE OF THE BRITLSHLORDS
The BrtonS Will Determine the Question During the Next
Two WeekS-PoIIS Open Tuesday-A ConsuItve Body.

readiness for the occasion were sent oul
20 the various constituencies Of England
Scotland, and Wales by Sir Kenneth
Mackenzie. who for the last thirty years
has been the clerk of the Crown, and as
such assigned 10 attendance upon the
lord high chancellor of Great Britain
and In the case OF Irish constituencies by
the clerk of the Crown. James O'Brien
who is in attendance on the lord chan
cellor Of the Emerald Isle.
These two clerks OF the Crown not
only issue all the wrlts. the preparation
Of which begins Immediately after the
completion of one general election so as
10 be In readiness for the next. but they
also receive and have the custody of al
the returns TO Parliament for the United
Kingdom and Ireland. as we'll as the Gus
tody of all poll books and ballot pagers
used at the election
Writs by Hand.
The writs lie the case of the London
constituencies are delivered by hand 70
the various returning officers by The
messengers or pursuivants Of the great
seal while all the other writs are
dispatched by mail, free of charge. from
the general post-office. to which they are
conveyed by pursuiyants OF the great
seal. who hand them to the postmaster
general or 10 his deputy. securing from
him an acknowledgment in writing.
Every sort OF precauuon is adopted 70
insure their safe and speedy transmits
sion, willful neglect or delay IN the deliv-
cry or dispatch OF a writ OF Parliament
such as were occasionally practiced in
d1.r hafa fega nm
ishable by fine and Imprisonment. On
reaching the constituency the local post
master carries the writs to the addresses
that Is 10 say, 10 the returning officers.
The Irish Writs are sent cut In the same
way from the crown Office In Dublin.
Must he Lawyer
The returning officer. who must be a
solieitor-that Is 10 say. a lawyer-hold-
ing his appointment from the sheriff OF
the county, is compelled within a certain
number OF hours after the receipt of the
writ TO give public notice of the election
and 10 fix a place where he will receive
nominations. The nomination OF a can
didate is "A very elaborate affair. The
candidate IS nominated In writing, the
paper being subscribed by two electors,
~ ifUlNstl anu eEtbllutls anu bt tlEilt
others in support thereof.
Usually there are a number of such
nominations for each candidate, these
representing the various important classes
Of his supporters The paper is delivered
10 the returning officer, as a rule by the
candidate himself, who for the sake Of
regularity is accompanied by his prOposer
seconder. and agent ANY mistake in the
nomination paper renders the nomination
void
The returning officer has the sole con-
duct Of the election in each constituency
He has the right 10 use the public school
buildings on the day of election and as
soon as the nominations have takeL
place he causes polling booths TO be ex-
temporized at the schoOlhouses or sucl
other convenient places as ne may select
Each polling place IS In charge of pre-
siding officer. appointed by the returnin;
officer, and the latter as well as hi
deputies and clerks. are sworn 10 secrecy
any infraction OF which renders the cul
prit liable TO six months Imprisonment
with hard labor.
The polling must take place within z
certain number Of hours after the nomi
nation. usually forty-eight hours. and
Friday next will be the last possible day
for nomination.
The room in which the votes are count
ed is usually the town. borough. or coun