DECLARING THE POLL AT WAIPAWA.

The Waipawa Mail gives the following report of the official declaration of the poll yesterday :— The Court-house, Waipawa, was filled by electors anxious to near the final result, and to listen to the remarks of the candidates, only two of whom were present, Mr Tanner and Mr Harker. Mr Arrow, the Returning Officer, announced the following result :— Tanner, Thomas 695 Harker, John 608 Sutton, Frederick 236 Lascelles, Arthur Rowley William 40 He therefore declared Mr Tanner duly elected by a majority of 87. Mr Tanner tlien rose and said : Fellow electors, — I must first congratulate you on the result of the contest over the whole of

the colony. The Opposition have been returned by a large majority. It has always been the misfortune of the various Parliaments in New Zealand that the various Governments in power have not had a sufficiently large majority to place them in such an independent position as to enable them to carry useful and liberal measures. It is to be hoped now that the result of the election will be to place a party in power that will be able to help the country out ot its present serious difliculties. I congratulate the electors of Waipawa on their orderly conduct during the contest, and I regret that I cannot pay tlie other electoral

districts in Hawke's Bay the same compliment. We hear of honorable men, men who have devoted their time and abilities to the interests of the country, being abused and stoned when addressing the electors and when returning thanks for their election, and at an adjoining electorate a party of men attempted to prevent a body of respectable citizens from recording their votes at the polling booth, ami thus exercising their just privileges. Such conduct as this ought to bring a blush of shame to the cheek of every honorable man. I warn the electors of

this country that if they persist in abusing the liberal franchise that has been given them the Parliament who gave it will take it away. I am in favor of the utmost liberty being given to the subject, but if that liberty is abused those who abuse it will only have themselves to thank if they lose it. Such conduct is not liberty, it is the tyranny of the mob. (Applause.) Gentloinen, I thank you for the confidence you have placed in mo by returning me at the head of

the poll by snch a large majority, and I thank my friends and supporters who have worked so hard in our cause. I cannot refer to the ot'ier side as my opponents, because they have not raised any objection to the chief points of my policy. I can only hope that now the contest is over all will shake hands and be friends, and I hope that all will ass-ist in strengthening my hands for the due performance of my duty to themselves and the country. (Applause.) Mr Harker said it seemed lie was the only one left to say a word for the defeated candidates. He had been defeated where he had expected to win, and had to suffer accordingly ; but he would not say much on that head. He would thank

those who had helped him, and who had voted for him. Especially he would thank two portions of the electorate, Makaretu and Clive. Where he hail been least known he had received the largest support. As for Waipawa — well, they knew him best, he supposed, and they had lejected him ; but, of course, they had a perfect right so to do if they thought fit. He would not make a political speech, but they had heard a great deal from Mr Tanner about the great amount of good whicli bad been done in this colony by the defeat of the Government. He (Mr Harker) would tell them, however, that what had happened on Monday last would prove a bad tiling for this colony. The people would feel it, and regret it. There was Stout's defeat. He looked upon that as a public calamity, and he knew others did also. As to his own defeat, he (Mr Harker) could only say he came forward at the solicitation of liis fellow workers, and he was led to believe be would be returned ; but such was not to be the case. He had nothing to say against Mr Tanner, and he hoped they would all assist in strengthening that gentleman now he was in Parliament. He (Mr Harker) also hoped that at the end of his term of service, they would have nothing to blame their representative for. (Applause.) Here Mr Tanner shook hands witli Mr Harker, and said : " I thank you for your kind words and wishes." There was much applause, and a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer closed the proceedings.