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PREFACE.

In the following pages the Author has endeavoured to produce, within the compass of a conveniently portable volume, a Manual on the Law and Conduct of Parliamentary Elections practical and plain enough to enable laymen to undertake competently any part in a contest; and at the same time so exhaustive and well-founded upon precedent and authority as to form, within the scope to which it is limited, a useful and sound book of reference for lawyers.

Apart from the general design of the book, the following are its principal features :—

1. Applicability to elections and procedure in England, Scotland and Ireland.

2. Simplicity of treatment. Starting from the standpoint of a reader assumed to be entirely ignorant of the matter, the order of events in their natural sequence is followed as closely as possible to the conclusion. In pursuance of this plan the various forms prescribed by Acts of Parliament, or sug

gested as occasion seemed to require by the Author, will be found inserted appropriately in the context instead of being massed together, after the customary fashion, at the end of the volume. A clearer apprehension of the whole subject is thus facilitated, while frequent reference to a possibly bewildering appendix is obviated.

3. The provision of copious instructions for the regulation of the conduct of sub-agents, polling agents, counting agents, canvassers and volunteer assistants, enabling election agents to feel assured by simply handing to any one of these persons a copy of the Manual, with directions to study the portion relating to his office, that the assistant to whom it is handed has, at least, been furnished with the means of acquiring a thorough knowledge of his duties, and of fortifying himself against the chance of disastrous blundering.

4. The addition of a Time Table, showing at a glance when appointments, declarations, returns, payments and other acts must be made or done in accordance with statutory requirement; and of a Table exhibiting the various offences which, if committed, suffice to annul an election.

5. Avoidance of confusing cross-references.

This

has necessitated in places a certain amount of

repetition. Those who know from experience the irritation inseparable from a multiplicity of cross-references will, perhaps, pardon the reiteration they may find in consideration of the trouble and annoyance from which they are relieved.

6. Complete indexation of the Corrupt, &c., Practices Prevention Act, 1883, as well as of the text of the Manual itself.

The Work, it is believed, will be found to be brought up to date. The substance of the Returning Officers (Scotland) Act, 1891, which was passed at the close of the last Session of Parliament, has been incorporated under the title of "Returning Officers' Charges." The recent action of the House of Commons in relation to the Verney and De Cobain cases, in so far as it affects the status of elected members, is alluded to in its proper place. Appropriate reference will also be found to the opinions upon corrupt practices lately delivered in Parliament by her Majesty's Attorney-General and SolicitorGeneral for England.

The grateful acknowledgments of the Author are due to Mr. ANDREW MITCHELL, of Langlees, Advocate, Edinburgh, for much valuable criticism in the revision,

especially of a portion of the work dealing with Scotland; to Mr. J. NUGENT LENTAIGNE, Secretary to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and to Mr. ROBERT LLOYD WOOLCOMBE, LL.D., Court Officer for the trial of Parliamentary Election Petitions in Ireland, for their courtesy in furnishing him with copies of Irish Orders in Council, and with information relative to points of practice in Ireland; and to Mr. GEORGE SELLAR, SheriffClerk, Glasgow, for kindly supplying him at need with copies of the most recent Acts of Parliament affecting Returning Officers in Scotland.

6, KING'S BENCH WALK, TEMPLE, December, 1891.

T. C. H. H.

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