Officer. Until it reached the House of Lords. The decision was
given yesterday afternoon--in favour of the man McCaw.

ELIZABETH Then lunatics, at all events, are not debarred from
going to the poll.

ST. HERBERT The "mentally deficient" are no longer debarred from
going to the poll.

ELIZABETH What grounds were given for the decision?

ST. HERBERT [He refers again to his notes.] A Returning Officer
can only deal with objections arising out of the nomination paper.
He has no jurisdiction to go behind a nomination paper and
constitute himself a court of inquiry as to the fitness or
unfitness of a candidate.

PHOEBE Good old House of Lords!

[LADY MOGTON hammers.]

ELIZABETH But I thought it was part of the Returning Officer's
duty to inquire into objections, that a special time was appointed
to deal with them.

ST. HERBERT He will still be required to take cognisance of any
informality in the nomination paper or papers. Beyond that, this
decision relieves him of all further responsibility.

JANET But this gives us everything.