During a debate on Registration of Voters (Ireland) Bill, Mr Redington said:— ...As to the frequent allegations of perjury, he admitted that the constituencies were not altogether immaculate, but surely the proposed remedy was worse than the disease. They would not cut a man's head off because his head ached. He showed by extracts from the reports of different committees on disputed elections in England, that the system of creating fictitious votes was by no means confined to Ireland. Before the Petersfield election committee it was proved that one voter had voted at several elections for that borough, who had been deprived of his qualification for more than 23 years. (Cheers from the ministerial benches.) He likewise showed, by reference to similar documents, that personation of voters was an offence quite as common, if not more common, in England than Ireland. In the celebrated case of the Southampton election eight or nine men had been convicted of personating electors who had been some time dead. (Cheers from the ministerial benches.)
(See also)