MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

THE CITY. The nomination of candidates for the four seats (one in every ward) in the City Council, rendered vacant by the annual retirement of four councillors, was held to-day, with the following results : SOUTH WAED. Henry Smith Fish, jun., was re-elected unopposed, BELL WARD, Mark Sinclair was re-elected unopposed. LEITH WARD. Ihe following nominations were received: William Swan, proposed by William Owen, seconded by Francis Meenan. Tuomas Johnston, proposed by James Matthews, seconded by George Lawrence. Mr Swan said that as he was now out of business he would have plenty of time to attend to municipal matters if elected. He believed in keeping down taxation, and would endeavor to reduce, rather than increase, the burdens laid on the ratepayers. The gas and water supplies, he thought, required careful attention in this connection. He would make it a special matter to visit the ratepayers and ascertain their wants from them direct.

Mr Johnston said that some weeks ago he ascertained from Mr Lee Smith, who retired this year, that he was not going to stand again just now, and he therefore determined to come forward himself, He some eight years ago contested the seat for the ward, but was then defeated. However, he was not yet dead, and if elected he would devote his energies to seeing that Leith Ward got its fair share of attention and expenditure. HIGH WARD, Mr W. Stronach, returning officer, announced the following nominations: — John Barron, proposed by John M'Landress and Peter Miller. William Hdtciiison, proposed by David M'Leod and James Caßln, _ Mr Barron said that this was the third time he had been nominated for High Ward, and each time he had had an opponent. He had, however, always been successful until now, and had no doubt ho would be successful again. Time would tell. It was, he thought, a good thing for the City when elections were contested. It was a sign that the people were not apathetic. During the years he had represented High Ward he had endeavored to do his duty as a councillor on all occasions, and, without blowingjhisown trumpet too much, might say that he thought he had[earned the eonfidenceof the ratepayers. Ho believed that Mr Hutchison came forward in the proper spirit, and with a desire to do the best he could for the City, bat he (Mr Barron) hoped and believed that Mr Hutchison’s experience would be the same as on previous occasions. He had nothing to say against Mr Hutchison, but the citizens would no doubt come to a correct conclusion as to the candidates, and would put him (Mr Barron) where he was before—at the top of the poll. He would take a further opportunity of addressing the ratepayers. Mr Hutchison said that if the result of the election should be as Mr Barron predicated so confidently he should be satisfied, because he had no axe to grind, and would not be personally affected one way or the other by the result of the election. But ho did think that the members of the Council required changing from time to time. What the housewives called a spring cleaning was needed—now and then. Gentlemen got into the Council and thought they should continue there for ever, as though they had a prescriptive right. He did not blame them very much, but the interests of the ratepayers had to be considered as well, and those who watched the proceedings of the Council would find that this system of always having the same people about the Council had led to a system of doing business which was not favorable to the interests of the ratepayers. He would not say more on that head at present, but they would find that the business of the Council was really done by committees and ratified by the Council. Of course we must have com-' mittees, but in this case the committees really did the business, and, to put it mildly, there were things done which would be very much better left un lone. The finances of tho City seemed to him to be in not a very pleasant condition. The civic rulers had evidently overrun the constable, Mr Barron would doubtless be ready with some scheme to restore a prosperous state of affairs, though be had not brought forward any such scheme during the time he had been in the Council-

Mr Barron : I am not a schemer, Mr Hutchison.

Mr Hutchison would then substitute the word plan.' ' The revenue of the City came to the goodly sum of something over L 32.000, and out of that there did not remain more than between L 6,000 and L 7.000 to carry ou all public works of the City, and something required to be done to get a few thousands more in order to keep the City as it should be kept. It appeared to him that there was room for reorganisation of the whole of the administrative staff of the Council. He would submit that the salary of the mayor, for example, should be at once reduced to an honbrahum of about LIOO a year. The salary at present voted was, Re (Mr Hutchison) understood, intended to cover hospitalities and other expenses ; but iu the present financial position of the City we could not afford these hospitalities, and must simply be content to give an honorarium to the gentleman who occupied the office. And he (Mr Hutchison) was quite satisfied that that would not deter any single gentleman who cared for the honor of the position from coming forward. He also would take another opportunity of addressing the ratepayers, and would therefore content himself for the present by saying that he hoped the contest would be conducted with courtesy and good feeling, There was no reason why it should not.— (Mr Barron : Hear, hear.) He had a high respect for Mr Barron, and if he were elected he (Mr Hutchison) would be perfectly satisfied that the electors had put in the man they thought would serve them the best. ■ The elections in the two contested wards were fixed’ for the 12th inst. PORT CHALMEfIS. The nomination of candidates to represent High, East, Middle, and South Wards m place of Crs Pullar, Putnam, Pedlow, and Millar, who retire by rotation, took plane at noon to-day, when the following nominations were received man ward David A. De Mads, proposed by William Elder and Alexander Pickard. William Pedlow, proposed by Michael Joyce and F.lwaid Sutton. east ward. William M. Innis, proposed by Robert Bolton and Alexander Nlokolls, William J. Putnam, proposed by John Morgan and Andrew Thomson.

MIDDLE WARD. Andrrw M'Kinnon, proposed by John Cable and Andrew Vounp. •

ItßiiiiKßT J. Pullau, proposed by John Cojk and George Smith.

SOUTH WARD. David Miliar, proposed by Alexander M'Kenzie and Alfred Perry.

There being no opposition for South Ward, Mr David Millar was declared duly elected.

Cavebsham. —The candidates nominated as councillors for North Ward to-day were : Andrew Boyd, jun., proposed by Mr William Blackwood, seconded by Mr James Jackson ; and Mr George Nutting (the retiring councillor), the latter being proposed by Thomas Henry Gill, and seconded by Mr Robert Allan.

South Dunedin. —The following candidates were nominated for East Ward Thomas Cossens (re-elected), nominated by William Whittock and Andrew Gordon. South Ward Christopher Marlow (reelected), nominated by Patrick Turley and John Tanner. North Ward Charlie Fisher, nominated by Arthur Smith and Alexander Gray ; John Tulloch Ross, nominated by Charles Boelky and John Downie. Maori Hill.— For South Ward the only candidate nominated to-day was Mr Alexander Herdtnan, who was proposed by Mr John Turnbull and seconded by Mr John M'Lennan. Mr Andrew Aaskoy was returned unopposed for North Ward. North-east Valley.— For East Ward no nominations were received ; for West Ward Mr Thomas Short and for High Ward Mr Isaac Green were re elected unopposed. West Harbor.— Charles Edward George, being the only candidate, was yesterday duly elected councillor for Ravensbourne Ward.

Milton.— Messrs P. Bastings and F. Grant were re-elected for East and South Wards respectively. There was no nomination for West Ward.

Kaitangata,— Messrs W, M'Laren, J. Robertson, and G. Raynes were returned unopposed.